Black Swan and the Wormhole Wizard
by Selenite
Summary: Jane and Loki are standing on the opposite sides of the barricade. However, each barricade has secret openings, and their is not an exception.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello to all readers!** Here I am with the tie-in as I promised earlier. So, this is a companion piece to **Sunrise, Solace, Stargazers **and** Successor**. You can read those, but it is not necessary for catching up here.

And yes, I know, next Loki/Jane story of mine... However, I'm afraid I am a hopeless Lokane fan :) And if you feel as one yourself, make sure to check **payheravisit** community at livejournal! Such a great place, you won't regret it!

As usual, I own nothing. Not even the title of this story - if you check on the last album by _**Joe Satriani**_, you will know what I mean :) Speaking of which - it is truly an amazing piece of music, and hereby I encourage everyone to listen to it while reading this story.

**Important note**: This takes place right after Loki's first fall to Earth at the end of the Thor movie.

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><p>Chapter 1: <strong>Behind Green Eyes<strong>

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><p><em>No one knows what it's like<em>

_To be hated_

_To be fated_

_To telling only lies…_

__(The Who; Behind Blue Eyes)__

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><p>A lone figure was lying in the vast desert dirt. No footprint around, no tracks. Just a lonesome, black-haired man on the ground.<p>

He didn't know how long he had been lying there. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know where he came from. And with that realization lingering somewhere near his consciousness and the flickering starlight above him, he fell asleep again.

Next day, he stirred as the intense sunbeams penetrated the thin skin of his eyelids. He was sweating heavily. He remembered falling. And fear.

He felt bruised all over. But that did not matter as a thought came to existence in his blank mind.

Loki.

_Is this my name?_

He spoke the word aloud, weighing it, judging it from different angles. The sound was odd and dull, spoken in a place like this; it just dissolved and faded away in the dry air. But yes, he was certain now. It was his name. With that, he realized one more thing. He was able to get himself out of the place. However, the power needed had been depleted. Even the power source to move was away. So he decided to think and explore his mind, lying still under the burning sun.

How many times the golden-and-blue sky was replaced by the comforting night?

A silly question.

But it was enough to fill his veins with strength to get up and flee this long forgotten, abandoned land. It was enough to give him time to find out everything he needed to know about his personality and past.

_How could I have ended up like this?_ He asked himself. _It wasn't that bad after all._ However, his first travel through the wormhole turned out to be quite clumsy and unpleasant. _I must improve next time._

It was night again. And with something very close to determination, he stood up and stretched his tall, lean body. He looked up. The constellations were wrong. _Where is this darn place?_ He turned around to have a full view of the dimly illuminated landscape.

_No._

_This can't be…_

_Midgard._

He noticed a weak glow on the east side of the horizon. But he still felt too weak to just let himself vanish in the air and reappear in the town. But on the contrary, after a few strides he felt strong enough to transform into something that would get him there quickly enough.

So he breathed out and fell on his knees. And in a moment, a black mare was striding down the desert. It stopped, prickling its ears. And then, the horse set off towards the lights and ran.

Loki dilated his nostrils, taking in gulps of the cool night air. It felt so refreshing. It felt so good…

He laughed to himself, what came out as an enthusiastic whinny, and low energy reserves or not, he sped up.

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><p>Loki, now sitting behind a table in a fast food restaurant, looked around the room. At the table next to him, a person called 'truck driver Eddie' was feeding on a too big, unappealing piece of his meal. Said person cursed as the sauce dripped on his shirt. The smell of this ugly being reached Loki's senses, making his brows knit together in disgust. Loki turned away and looked outside the window. A van with a noisy, malfunctioning engine passed by, stirring the dust.<p>

Midgard kept always to itself. It was too long ago since its inhabitants broke all the bonds with the other realms. Loki laughed, full of disdain. _Well, there's certainly not much to regret about it._

Truth, it looked very different now, but did it look better? Was there any progress towards perfection and beauty, towards something higher, superior and eternal?

No.

If there were any words to describe this place, in wouldn't be wondrous or beautiful. Or even interesting. Loki frowned.

No. This place was dirty. Noisy. Meaningless.

Pointless.

That was the right word.

Loki brought his hand slowly up to his lips and took another small bite of one of the French fries. Then he washed it down with a sip of water, got up to his feet and walked outside.

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><p>It was night again. And standing on the top of the highest rock around the town of Puente Antiguo, embracing himself, Loki let his supernatural senses spread around the landscape. He was determined to leave this place, but before that he decided, for the last time, to search for something worthy his attention. And suddenly, his eyes shot open in surprise.<p>

_It seems I underestimated you, humans._

His wide emerald eyes narrowed as he turned in the direction of the source of power so endless.

Far in the distance, he saw flickering lights of a few buildings hidden in the night. There it was.

And pure fury and hatred started oozing through Loki's veins.

_You dull, stupid mortals. You don't have a slightest clue what are you handling right now. It's of no use in your incompetent hands. _

_There's no use. There's no excuse for your impudent behavior. For there's no other rightful owner than me. _

_Me._

He looked back at the small town.

_Prepare yourselves, filthy little rats. Prepare to bow to a new master._

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><p>Loki stepped closer and let the dim glow emitted by the computer screen pour over him. Just a few inches were separating them now.<p>

Him and this fragile mortal.

_Jane Foster._

He allowed a small smirk to his features and slowly, so slowly, he bent forward. Quickly he went through and absorbed all the data being displayed on the screen.

Seemingly, Miss Foster needed a considerably longer time to do the same, so in the meantime, Loki shifted slightly to the side of her chair and focused on the mighty Thor's plaything.

_An oasis in the dullness of this world, aren't you, Jane? Not that you are some kind of exception, or something special amongst the poor human race. But, you see, you have a meaning. You have a purpose in my scheme. You offer me all the possible knowledge so openly, so eagerly._

_However, this spring will inevitably run dry in the end._

_And then, together we'll let my dearest, so-called brother know what it means to become a plaything of mine. _

_My sweetest Jane._

He bent forward again, slowly, deliberately. And his eyes went shut as he took in the scent of her skin rather unintentionally.

A sudden, startled movement sent him immediately back. Now standing engulfed in the shadow of the dark room he listened to his quickened breath and waited, digging his stare into Jane's searching eyes. Her breath became shallow, her heart was racing; he could sense it all even from this distance.

However, it meant nothing. Because Loki knew that Jane Foster might have been many things, but in the end, she was still a mere mortal. And even if she suspected something, she had no clue about what was happening in front of her.

Jane looked around the empty room and stopped at the surveillance camera in the corner. She furrowed her brows. _Surely you must be having fun, Stark._ She snorted in her thoughts as she turned back to the screen.

_Maybe the time had come to go home, Jane._ She decided eventually.

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><p>Jane ran her fingers through her wet hair for one last time and turned the shower off. She stepped outside, grabbed a towel hanging on the wall and started to dry her hair. But suddenly she stopped, looked up and around the bathroom.<p>

Since afternoon she couldn't get rid of the strange feeling of being watched.

She sighed. After those few recent security alerts they had more video cameras and microphones in the research compound than at the Super Bowl match.

_Maybe even here..? Or maybe I'm just being paranoid. Or… Okay, that was the last shower I took here._

She then dried her body rather quickly and slipped into clean underwear and clothes and walked out the room in a hurry.

As the door closed, Loki looked in the partly steamed mirror and smiled slightly at his reflection.

_Perhaps I should rearrange my schedule a bit._ He thought and gave the 'Visit Jane Foster' task a high priority tag.

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><p><strong>Reviews feed my heart!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: **It ****Can ****Happen**

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><p><em>You can fool yourself<br>You can cheat until you're blind  
>You can cut your heart<br>It can happen…_

_You reach  
>It can happen to you<br>It can happen to me  
>It can happen to everyone eventually<em>

_(Yes; It Can Happen)_

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><p>"All right, so what about the infrared view?" Tony Stark asked the surveillance technician, leaned against the desk and pinned his eyes to a large LCD screen on the wall in front of them. The room was dark except one dimmed light near the entrance.<p>

"Not much either, I'm afraid." The guy operating the LCD sighed and switched the recorded spectra.

"Well, as you can see here," using the cursor, he pointed at a reddish area forming for a split of second at the left side of Jane's infrared image, "There _was_ something… But nothing we can build on, actually. I… would be careful naming it as a mere warm breath coming from Miss Foster…" the technician gave Jane a quick sideways glance, "However, I wouldn't call it an intruder, too. Unless he or she or whatever it is possess much more sophisticated technology than we have… Which I really doubt."

"However, I believe we haven't gathered here to rely on assumptions." A man standing in the dark intervened. His voice was quiet, but firm and steady.

"You speak my mind, Nick, thank you." Tony turned at Nick nervously. "But what do you want from me right now? I can see the same recording as everyone else does! And as everyone else does, I have to rely on Miss Foster's statements. I really don't have any other recorded material hidden." Another sideways glance, this time from Tony, went in Jane's direction.

"It wouldn't surprise me, though." Jane bit back acidly.

"Oh, sweetheart…" a cocky smile widened the Iron Man's features, "Although I would really appreciate a 'Sexy Nerd in the Shower' footage, I do not possess any." Tony replied calmly, voicing something like regret.

Jane's lips parted but before an answer could be formed, Fury's fierce voice filled the room.

"Enjoying yourself, Stark?"

If someone had ever asked Jane about what she finds scary on human faces, one possible answer would be Nick Fury's white of the eye.

"Am I the only one who's thinking over the consequences if the Cube shall fall in, let's say, North Korea's hands?" Nick hissed, looking around the office. He stepped closer to Tnoy and leaned menacingly over the table in the center of the room.

"I'd like to remind you guys that we're not having fun here." Fury's steady tone was back. "We're here to investigate, but most of all _to__ protect_ the Cube. Do you understand? Someone is clearly trying hard to break through our security. And Kim or Wizard of Oz or whatever it can be, I want you to cooperate in order to discover them and stop them. Any questions?" He viewed everyone intently as he finished his speech.

"No?" He asked once more. "Then what are we waiting for? Back to work."

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><p>Jane felt glad that she managed to get a free afternoon after all the distress. Oh, how she missed something she could call a regular life!<p>

Some shopping downtown, coffee and random chat with Darcy later, she felt somehow relieved and relaxed as she walked back to her trailer. To her own, personal little kingdom.

_But__ I__'__m __afraid__ they __won__'__t __allow __me__ to __keep __it __for __too __long now._ Her forehead wrinkled at the thought.

At first, she refused accommodation SHIELD had prepared for her in the compound, but at given circumstances, Jane was certain she would be forced to accept their offer soon.

However, as she approached the familiar trailer, she noticed there was something wrong. Or, at least, something more; something that certainly did not belong there.

"Hey!" she called and ran towards her dwelling.

Apparently, someone's horse was feeding happily on her precious succulent collection.

"Get out! Now!" she exclaimed as she arrived, breathing heavily, at the place of disaster. "Evil creature!"she cried out, trying to chase the horse off with her bag. The animal ducked its head and moved back, observing Jane's rage with something quite resembling confusion and surprise.

"Oh come on!" Jane flailed her arms helplessly and whined at the sight when she managed to calm down a bit. "And what about the cactuses?" She asked the horse angrily, tilting her head. The creature looked at her. Its dark eyes were almost… curious.

"Afraid to eat them, huh?" Jane put her arms on her hips, and sighing desperately, she turned around to look for some responsible person. But there was no one to blame right now, so she turned back to the poor being.

She inhaled to shout again, however, it came out as a mere breath. "Just look what you have done... I spent money on them, you know."

Well, she was too aware that horses had always been her favorite animals. She loved them there was no doubt. Or maybe… Okay, there were whales, especially belugas that were severely pushing the horses out of the first position in her virtual animal rankings, but…

"All right, you got me." She murmured in resignation and stepped closer. "I can't be mad at such a pretty lady." Jane smiled at the coal-black mare and fell to her knees to collect the shattered mess, trying to find and save some unharmed plants. Something soft tickled her cheek.

"Hey, stop that!" she exclaimed playfully through a smile and shoved the horse's head away.

But she turned to have a look as she heard a noise close to a squeak escape the mare's mouth. "Ah, sorry! So you tried some cactuses, after all." Jane assumed as she noticed a prickle on the horse's nostril. "Come on…" she grabbed it and pulled out swiftly.

"It didn't hurt, right?" Jane smiled softly and stroked the silky forehead marked with a white blaze.

"Wait, I'll get you some water. And maybe something tasty, too." Jane promised, got up to her feet and unlocked and entered the door of the trailer.

However, as soon as she got out, she was forced to shout again. Her bag was lying open on the ground and the documents were... _Oh no_. "That's… What do you think you're doing?" she exclaimed and set off towards the black mare.

_I__ should __have __hidden __my __bag __first._ She thought as she grabbed the other end of the papers that were sticking out of the animals' mouth and attempted to jerk the documents out. "C'mon, let go..!" Jane uttered, and almost fell as the papers finally got torn apart.

"All right, are you happy now? I'll have to print it again!" Jane scowled and viewed the ripped documents. But then she paused and chuckled as a cheeky thought crossed her mind.

The dark eyes fixed on her, with an almost questioning stare.

"Or… I can give them to Fury like that. I'm sure his expression will be unforgettable."

She shrugged and smiled to herself. "Respecting authorities has always been your weak spot, Jane…" Jane voiced her musings, lifted her bag from the ground and tossed it in the trailer doorway, where she took a pack of biscuits.

She took a bite herself and handed the rest of a biscuit to the mare. At first, the animal ducked its head a bit, giving her something very close to a suspicious stare. "Well… See, I'm eating it, too. It's not poisoned, I promise." Jane reassured, her mouth full.

"Here we go…" Jane bubbled happily as the animal stepped closer. She flattened her palm to make it easier for the horse to take the piece of food. "So… better than papers, huh?"

A low whinny sounded as the mare poked Jane's hand gently. "Want more?" Jane laughed and took another biscuit from the pack she was holding in the other hand. "Tasty, isn't it? It's with honey. Eric brought this from the holiday in Spain..." _Wait,__ why __am __I __explaining __this __to __a__ horse?_

Jane sighed and looked around again. She frowned. "I guess someone will be looking for you soon." _And you__'__re__ looking __at __me__ like __you __understood __what __I__'__m __saying._ She thought as she looked back at the creature in front of her.

"You know, no one would like to lose such a pretty girl." Jane spoke quietly, laid the pack on the ground and patted the slender, long neck. The mare brushed its nostrils over Jane's cheek in reply and took in the scent of her hair.

Jane giggled lightly and stroked the beautifully carved jaw and forehead, and trailed her palms up and over the ears. In the end, she just wrapped her arms around the neck and ran her fingers through the soft, thick mane.

The mare stirred a bit.

"Trust me, I'd love to keep you, but we will have to find your owner." Jane spoke sadly as she nuzzled against the soft hair.

The mare puffed lightly in response, but then suddenly jerked away from Jane's arms.

Jane took a step back, startled with the unexpected movement. "What is it?" she asked.

The horse lowered its head menacingly and snorted. Jane took a hesitant step forward and extended her hand. "Is there something wrong? I won't harm you. I never would."

Jane looked into those intriguing dark eyes as they blinked a few times. But then the horse straightened and prickled its ears.

Jane turned around to see a car coming. She turned back immediately as she felt a movement, but before she could react, the horse ran away. She sighed at the feeling of disappointment, and waited for the car to come and stop behind her.

Jane recognized Eric's voice as the engine stopped. "Hey, Jane. What are you doing here?" He asked when he got out and rubbed his head as he viewed the place.

"Um, I live here, I suppose." Jane shrugged.

Eric laughed. "Really? Well… And what about this mess?"

"A horse came to visit me." Jane chuckled.

"A horse?" Eric's eyebrows shot up.

"Yes. It ran away when you appeared."

"Ah, I see… sorry." Eric stated and looked up at the darkening sky. "Well, Darcy is asking us on a dinner. Seems like she's getting tired of all the work."

"Yeah, she told me. Me too, to be honest." Jane sighed deeply. "And when?"

"Right now…" Eric smiled.

"All right. Gimme a minute." Jane replied merrily and returned to her trailer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Many thanks to all my reviewers**, either here or at the payheravisit comm! Especially to **MadMissMissy** - your comments to all my stories are so encouraging and inspiring! Please continue!

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><p>Chapter 3: <strong>Don<strong>**'****t**** Talk ****to ****Strangers**

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><p><em>Don't talk to strangers<em>

_'Cause they're only there to do you harm_

_Don't write in starlight_

_'Cause the words may come out real…_

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><p>Jane was sitting silently on the doorstep of her trailer, watching the midnight sky. Her eyes felt already dry, so she chose to close them for a while. As soon as her eyelids shielded her sight, she wrapped one arm around her knees and let the other rest on the doorstep, holding an almost empty bottle of beer.<p>

She shivered, hid her ankles under the long nightgown, and rested her chin on her knee. A melody found its way to her subtle vocal chords. A song she knew for so long… For a lifetime, she dared to think. The favorite song of her mother.

Jane smiled weakly, remembering how she used to sit beside her, trying to play the intriguing instrument with white and black keys. But she never achieved the precision her mother had possessed. Well, Jane knew she could have, however, it would consume too much of her time. Music was not an easy thing; it required hard training, several hours each day. And well, Jane chose to spend her precious share of time with science books. And the stars.

The space above had always been the one to win that battle.

However, there was no other thing Jane would always associate with the endless universe than the music. Whenever she watched the starry sky, she would hear this melody – should she be lying in the desert sand in the night or operating the huge telescope at the university observatory. The favorite song of her mother.

_But… what do I have now?_

Jane opened her eyes again and let the melody vanish in the hovering night.

_The stars are so far away… And you are with them… Both of you… All of you…_

A barely audible gasp escaped her throat as a silent tear fell straight into the small, tiny cavity between her toes. Realizing that, Jane let out a breath that was almost a laugh.

_Isn__'__t__ this __just __funny? __I __would __never __manage __to __do__ that __intentionally._

She thought and as soon as she did so, Jane lifted the hand that was holding the bottle, tilted it slowly to let just one drop escape and waited. Of course, several rather huge drops of the smelly liquid ran out instead and poured over her toes.

"Silly girl." She admitted then and tossed the bottle away.

"Always so eager to try things just because you can?" A quiet, soft voice arrived with the light blow of the breeze.

Jane held her breath in shock, shot up and looked around, eyes wild. "Who..?"

She noticed a shadow approaching form the left side. Her heart skipped a beat in horror. She caught the doorframe and fell inside her trailer, slamming the door shut.

"Ah!" a drop of blood appeared on her finger as she overturned the knife rack, desperately searching for the taser. In the second she found it, she spun around, crashed against the counter and observed the closed door. _Who the hell is it?_ Her pulse was drumming in her ears; her breathing was shallow and quick.

After few moments of silence, she managed to bring her dry lips together and close her mouth. However, she had to dilate her nostrils to sustain the air flow her lungs required.

"Wh…" her voice failed her with the first attempt. She cleared her throat. "Who are you?"

No answer.

"I asked something!" She shouted. _Or __wait__… __was __that __real?_

_Jane!_ She wanted to slap her own face. _Of __course __it__'__s __real! __You__'__re __not __insane__…_

"What the fuck do you want from me?" She uttered in the end.

"I just came to share some witty conversation." A comforting voice sounded. "I truly believed I could get some right here." He paused. "However, I see I must have been under a delusion."

Jane frowned. "What? Wait, what do you mean by 'delusion'?" She asked in an angry and shaky voice.

She could swear she felt the mysterious person shrug. "I believe such words as 'fuck' do not deserve a rightful place in a witty conversation."

Jane frowned even more.

_Hey..!_

She took a deep breath and tried to release the spams in her arms. "All right! Then… What in the Odin's beard, Thor's hammer and Loki's shiny horns do you mean?" She waited a second. "Better?"

Jane, to her own surprise, let a smirk on her face. "Am I not capable of a witty conversation? That's what you think? Well, and who do you think you are to think... I cannot think… about… what to say..?" she uttered, regretting all the consumed beer that was causing this drivel and tying her tongue at the same time.

An even more comforting, almost sweet sound, drifted over delicately. He laughed.

"Oh, Miss Foster. You just climbed right above my expectations."

"Oh, really?" Jane purred acidly. "Hm… Such a shame. You chose a wrong moment, you know. I must apologize here. I had some beer. And as you may know, alcohol tends to slow the wits. So… now you can imagine how it could have been if I wasn't drunk."

"You're drunk?" The stranger tried.

"Yep. But don't be afraid, I still can hold the taser in my hands."

He laughed again. "Miss Foster. Now you're just as pathetic as I always imagined you to be."

"Pathetic?" Jane squeaked in disbelief. She snorted. "You know, I'm a woman living all alone in the small trailer in the desert! I have to protect myself somehow. Or just… let myself believe I'm protected." She trailed off.

"I see." The voice acknowledged after a moment. "Well, Jane, just be careful. Before one knows, all the beliefs can shatter in a blink of an eye." Jane was almost sure she heard a hint of bitterness.

"You sound like you know what it means." She tried.

"And you, Miss Foster?" He asked in reply. "You also sounded like you know, just a few minutes ago."

Silence.

"I could not overhear that sad melody as I was passing by." He continued.

"How long have you been watching me?" Jane asked, looking down.

"Long enough." The answer came and his fingers drummed on the trailer wall.

Jane's heart was racing again. _What__ do __you __want __from __me?_ She had to scowl at her own helplessness.

"I guess the song has a meaning..?" He voiced his thoughts quietly, tentatively. From behind the closed door it sounded rather muted, so Jane had to think the words over a few times before she realized what she had been asked.

"Um… That's… That's the song my mother used to play. Chopin's 'Raindrops Prelude'. She loved it. She played it whenever she was sad, whenever the day was warm and sunny… She could always think of an occasion. And… She played whenever I asked her to." Jane could still feel her heart beating, but something else was driving it this time.

"And am I right in assuming that no matter how many times you would ask her now, she won't play anymore?"

"No, she won't…" Jane managed before her throat constricted and held all the other sounds inside. No matter how subtly the thought was voiced, she was forced to close her eyes in a futile attempt to hold the tears back.

Jane did not know how long she had been biting her lip before the stranger spoke again.

"So what about you? Can you play that song, too?"

"Yes." she breathed. "But not as well as she did."

"I guess she would love it anyway." He reassured. "Not to mention… I am also quite curious to hear it."

The last remark made Jane wake up. Her brows knitted together. _What?_ Then her lips twirled a bit.

_Let__'__s__ try __something__…_ "You?" she asked in a casual and colorless tone. "I mean… You'd like to hear me playing the song?"

"Why not?"

Jane lifted her brows. "Now?" She struggled hard to keep her voice steady.

Silence.

She bit her lip to stop the wide, victorious grin. "You have no idea who Chopin was, right?"

"Hmmm…" He hesitated. "No."

Jane, not able to fight the grin any longer, cleared her throat. "What a pity… Well, and wouldn't you agree that a certain level of general knowledge is required for a witty conversation?"

"You're certainly right, Miss Foster." He admitted in a playful voice. "However, isn't it also a true goal of such a conversation? To learn from your partner? What profit could I get from a dialogue with someone who knows as much as myself?"

"So, are you trying to imply I know much more than you?" Jane tilted her head in anticipation.

"You have your knowledge and I have mine." A neutral answer came.

"How painfully true, isn't it?" She bit back.

"Painfully?" He must have lifted his eyebrows right now. "Oh, why?"

"Well, I think you're quite ahead when it comes to certain topics. Our names, for instance..?" Jane tried.

"Miss Foster…" his voice sounded amused. "Are you sure you want to know who I am?"

"Try me." She shrugged.

"Than I have just one word for you."

Jane swallowed and prickled her ears. She was not sure anymore if the feelings overwhelming her being were fear, surprise, curiosity or anger.

But it did not matter as now there was something to focus on. And so she did. She held her breath.

"Loki."

A name found its way through the trailer door, through her skin and flesh and bone.

And she breathed out. With her mind suddenly clear as never before, she turned slowly to put the taser where she had found it and took a few small steps towards the entrance. She held the doorknob in her trembling hand.

And opened the door.

Just a bit. She created just a thin slit to let some light beams illuminate the person outside.

A crystal-clear, green orb harboring an unrestrained, mischievous twinkle was watching her curiously.

She blinked.

It must have lasted an eternity.

"Miss Foster, your right eye is astonishing. Now I am even more curious about how does the left one look…"

Another breath. Without a second thought, Jane moved her head just a fraction to the right, so she was touching the door surface. Now she was watching him with the left eye.

"Like this..?" she offered.

The thin lower lip curled inside his mouth as he lowered his eyes. "You're… funny, Miss Foster." he answered quietly.

A squeak sounded as Jane opened the door fully. And with her hand still on the doorknob, she just stared at him.

His hair was dark as his clothes and as the night around them. And it looked almost unearthly, how his pale skin and green eyes contrasted with that dark appearance.

"You humans just won't stop surprising me…" He sounded at last, crossing his arms and leaning his shoulder against the trailer surface.

"What?" was all Jane was capable of.

He smiled. Jane almost gasped at that sight.

"Who would have ever guessed it's my name that opens your door?"

She waited. Jane waited for his hand to shot up and squeeze her throat. She closed her eyes.

And opened them again. With curiosity, he was staring at her chest. _Oh,__ so __maybe __we__'__ll __have __some __fun __before __the __final __blow__… _She shrugged internally.

_Is it normal to be so calm before a certain death, by the way?_

However, no attempt, no attack or final blow, nothing on Earth could have ever confused her more than the two words that followed.

"Hello kitty?" He frowned as he read the sign on her nightgown. "It doesn't look like one at all!"

_What?_ Jane snorted. _What __the..?_

And then she remembered. "Ah, you mean… yeah, that's… Sorry, it's a… it was a present from Darcy. She always gives kind of… crazy presents, you know. I… um, I don't have any other clean night gown, so… yeah. Sorry." She sighed. "I guess even someone like you does not deserve to watch this."

_Ah,__ Jane!_ She marveled at her own boldness and – what was it? Carelessness?

He smiled again.

_Oh._

"Gruesome view, indeed." He noted, finally.

"So…" Jane uttered, rubbing her right calf with her left instep, looking away.

"So?" He repeated.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked, waiting. No words came in reply, so she continued her premise. "Kill me." She whispered, looking down. "As you killed him… Your brother."

A rush of cool air poured over her skin as a set of ice-cold fingers held her jaw firmly. "I don't have a brother. I never had." He hissed.

Jane winced and closed her eyes as the fingernails dug deeper.

"And your beloved Son of Odin is alive. Too much for my liking." His lips came closer to her ear. "Thank you for a fruitful conversation, Miss Foster. Good night."

Jane opened her eyes and blinked.

She was alone again.

* * *

><p><em>Hey you, you know me, you've touched me, I'm real<em>

_I'm forever the one that lets you look and see and_

_Feel me_

_I'm danger - I'm the stranger_

_And I, I'm darkness, I'm anger, I'm pain_

_I am master_

_The evil song you sing inside your brain_

_Drive you insane_

_Don't talk_

_(Dio; Don't Talk to Strangers) _

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><p><em><strong>Please review!<strong>  
><em>


	4. Chapter 4

I own nothing.

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><p>Chapter 4: <strong>Occasional Demons<strong>

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><p>Loki blinked a few times and sighed silently. He shifted himself in a more comfortable position and mindlessly, he ran his pale fingertips across his lips as the great concert hall below whirled into one blurred vision.<p>

_Why am I here?_

His eyes squeezed shut for a moment. _Now, admit it. Just because of that one, mocking question?_

_Maybe._

'_You have no idea who Chopin was, right?'_ He recalled the sound of her voice asking. She was trying to hide it, but clearly, she was smiling back then.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

Yes. Just that one innocent question that happened to escape Jane Foster's lips brought Loki here, in said composer's homeland.

He folded one leg over the other, propped his elbow on the armrest and rested his chin on his hand as he began pinching the soft fabric of the suit he was wearing.

It couldn't be helped, he felt unkempt. Today he didn't feel like doing anything with his hair, so he just let it twirl freely in its usual waves and slight curls. As for the clothes, he gave it nearly his best, but still, it was incomparable to what he was used to wear in Asgard.

But at least, his current suit offered a certain degree of comfort, if anything.

_Come on, what takes them so long? If I recall correctly, senseless drivel was not a part of the program. _

Not that he did not understand the language spoken in this country. He just did not care. Loki stirred, cleared his throat in annoyance and straightened his jacket. All the musicians were already present at the stage, so what were they waiting for?

He scowled at the talking man who happened to be the host and considered the option to set the curtain aflame to stop the guy's monologue.

_I give you three minutes_, Loki declared silently, eyes narrowing. Then he pushed himself against the backrest and rocked in his chair, patting his knee and looking around the box he was a guest in.

It appeared it had been reserved for a family. In the opposite corner, there were sitting two women, one nearly middle-aged, the second significantly older. They were chattering vividly, maybe just a bit noisier than needed, Loki noted. The most distant seat was occupied by a man of approximately the same age as the younger woman. He looked tired and also something else…

Loki knew that expression very well. Bored to death, that was it. Although the chap in the corner had seemingly mastered the precise technique of hiding it, he couldn't deceive the Maker of mischief.

The trickster sighed almost compassionately and moved his stare to a being sitting nearest to him.

She was the youngest one. _There's no doubt, the girl must be their daughter_; Loki guessed. Counting in Midgard years, she should have been around fifteen. Her figure was slender and tall, her skin white, her dark hair bound in a bun. Loki commended her internally for wearing such a nice green dress. Her fingers were clean, long and thin. She wore a necklace with green and white stones that matched with the earrings. But there was nothing to adorn her hands, no bracelet, and no ring.

She appeared to be lost in thought and nervous as she was constantly rubbing and clasping her hands.

Loki cocked his head and rested it on his hand curiously after he let the chair legs land in their original position.

He didn't make himself invisible that day. He merely veiled his presence from the humans' notice. But now, as a result of an instant whim, he let those walls down. And immediately, he observed something he recognized as a slight shiver. He smirked to himself. _You seem to be quite sensitive, little thing._

The girl slowly turned her head and looked at him. Loki felt a touch of amusement at her widening eyes and dilating pupils. Yet again, he had to compliment her ability to maintain composure. Not a single feature in her face revealed that her heart had sped up.

Well, humans wouldn't notice.

_But I do._

He let out a breath almost audibly. This might have been considered cute; however, he was all but used to it. He realized his charms all too well. He could enchant anyone he pleased and he knew that. And most of the time it was so easy that it almost bored him.

_Well, and this is no exception… Or is it? _

Loki sensed her confusion and embarrassment as well as determination to look the other way. It bemused him. _We're not finished_; he objected and decided he certainly deserved more attention.

And so he let his lips curl into an innocent, charming smile No. 3.

And she stopped all her movements.

_I've got you._

She was looking at him, this time with a blush on her cheeks. But her eyes were unsteady. Obviously, she was thinking what to say. And eventually, she spoke.

"I thought the box was reserved just for our family tonight..." Her gaze dropped to the ground. Seemingly, that wasn't the statement she intended to begin with.

He offered a reassuring smile. "That's true. However, I was offered a vip ticket and the only free seats were here." Sweet, sweet lie.

"Oh." She nodded, still looking down, entwining her fingers. Then she looked up at him again. "I haven't seen you before. Is it your first time here?"

"Yes." Annoying truth.

"And first time here in the concert hall, or in the town in general?" she tilted her head curiously.

Loki grinned. "The second option is correct."

"Is it? Then what exactly brings you here? Are you Chopin's fan?"

"I…" Loki waited for a suitable answer to appear on his tongue. "Don't know yet." Another truth.

_What makes me be this sincere with the mortals? _He scowled.

"I see." The girl spilled and her sight turned away as something else caught her attention. She straightened her back to have a better view on what was happening on the stage below.

The introductory speech seemed to be over and a man with grey hair came into view as he entered the stage and stopped in front of the orchestra. The girl clasped her hands again and held a breath. But then she smiled and waved at the old man who gave her a merry glance.

"You know him?" Loki asked.

"Yes!" She laughed and waved once again, still looking at the stage. "It's my grandpa. He'd been ill, but has recovered. It's actually his comeback tonight."

"Ah." Loki nodded, feeling a slight annoyance at the sudden shift of the girl's attention.

_Loki! Are you going to lose to that pathetic old mortal?_ His alter ego shook his shoulders to wake him up.

_Never!_ Loki claimed resolutely and cleared his throat. "Then it appears I've chosen the right day to decide whether I'm Chopin's fan or not." He rubbed his chin with the upper side of his index finger and lifted a brow tentatively.

"Yeah!" She flashed Loki a wide, enthusiastic smile and the major part of her nervousness seemed to fade away as she giggled.

_Good girl._ Contented, Loki purred a silent reply and smiled back.

Luckily, the old man turned out to be far less talkative than the host. He just told a few words of gratitude, and then turned to the orchestra. Just before the lights got dimmed, Loki caught a glimpse of the two cunning eyes and a curious smile spreading on the girl's face.

A moment of deafening silence.

And then, the sound so soft and yet so complete filled the room to the tiniest apertures.

What was that?

Conducted by the old man, the orchestra moved as a single living being, producing distinct sounds that joined and mixed together on their journey around the hall. And when the woman sitting at the piano joined them, the song turned into a dialogue. The notes were so pure, like pearls falling down a staircase. A conversation without words, where everything was clear, with no need of explanation. Loki found himself in the middle of that all, and he could understand every single emotion and feeling. Joy and sorrow, happiness and sadness, all the pleasure and suffering…

As the music slowed down a bit, he let out a breath he realized he had been holding. And there was something more he became aware of. He just experienced a moment of oblivion.

For this fleeting moment, his mind got still, the gears of his intellect calmed down and stopped and the memories retreated behind thick doors.

Loki furrowed his brows. He was unsure whether to feel comforted and pleased, or taken aback and offended. He turned his head a fraction to glance at the young girl. Her chest was rising and falling with the shallow breathing. She seemed to be lost in daydreaming. Loki smiled lightly.

_I think I shall join you. Just this once._

And so he let his eyelids slide shut and breathed out as he sank in the land of freedom and dreams.

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><p>Hours later, Loki stood still and unmoving under the heavy rain. He did not mind it. In fact, he barely noticed. The flower blossoms were bent and soaked with water, but they still moved with the strokes of the fresh midnight wind. Along with the dim light coming from the tiny lanterns around, the flowers were meant to decorate a tombstone sculpted in the shape of a weeping woman.<p>

Loki found himself now in another country; in a place called Cimetière du Père Lachaise, where Mr. Chopin's mortal body had found its last retreat.

_You died too soon, even by the Midgardian standards. _Loki scoffed. _Your life was a blink of an eye to me._

_Yet… your soul dwells amongst the stars, but your work still lives in the hearts of the humans._

He tilted his head back and let the raindrops wash and chill his face. _I have to thank you._ _I learned one important thing about the mortals tonight. _

_Apart from their minds and broken will, I should demand their hearts._

And with this thought firmly settled in his mind, Loki disappeared.

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><p>Jane felt roused from her thoughts as Nick Fury's voice gained intensity. Well, but she was supposed to pay attention, and especially at today's meeting, where the new security measures and rules should be discussed. She sucked her bottom lip and looked away.<p>

She had the whole weekend to decide what to draw from the unexpected visit in the middle of the Friday night. How many times she had been holding her cellphone, ready to dial the right number and tell everything she knew?

Too many times.

Even now she was getting ready, persuading herself to speak up.

_Come on, Jane. You know what's right._

Yes, she knew. However, knowing what's right was clearly not enough.

_Jane, you are hopeless. The more you procrastinate, the more you will regret it later._ She drummed her fingers on the table, closed her eyes firmly and got ready.

But just before she could part her lips to form words she had in mind for two days, something happened.

The pocket of her pants vibrated. Well, her phone did, to be exact.

_What?_ Jane frowned internally. She got already used to the fact that there was no signal in this particular building. She forced herself not to move her hands.

Well, but her curiosity had the high ground, as always.

She checked all the other people gathered around the table who were listening to Nick's speech. Her eyes stopped at Tony who appeared somewhat worn out and was looking down. There were two possible explanations. First, Tony was exhausted after another crazy weekend ride. Or second, he absolutely did not mind Fury's theories and enjoyed playing Tetris on his phone. Or a mixture of both.

Jane let out a contented breath. _If he can, why shouldn't I?_ She stated stubbornly and slowly reached in her pocket to look at the message. She bowed her head just a little bit, just enough to read from the display.

The number of the message sender was hidden, she realized a second before she started to read.

_Good morning, Ms. Foster. I hope you don't mind my little intervention. I only wanted to apologise for my rushed and rather rude departure from your residence on Friday night. You must forgive me, I somehow forgot about my good manners. That said, what about some mending? Tonight at the same time? Sincerely as only I can be, L.L. _

Jane had to put up a fight against a gasp threatening her throat. _All right… What..? …All right…_

She took a deep breath and thought. But in the end, her mind couldn't come up with anything else apart from typing an answer. _Screw you, Jane._

_Tis ok. _She stopped. And then smiled at that darn, stupid boldness forming in her chest again. _Clearly I said something that upset you._ She typed quickly. _On that note-can you bring a list of such forbidden topics? So we can prevent similar incidents in the future. _She hesitated just for a split of a second before touching the 'Send' button.

A few bites of her lip later, her cell vibrated with an incoming answer.

_May I take it as an agreement? And I can assure you that after touching that particular topic, no lists are needed anymore. I shall be looking forward to meeting you again, Ms. Foster. Oh, and would you please prepare some tea? And if you still have those biscuits from Spain, bring them, too. They were truly delicious!_

It took her several heart-stopping, thrilling moments filled with panic and consternation to fully realize the implication in those last two sentences. _It can't be… It…_

_It was you?_ Her trembling finger proceeded with the answer. Send. She blushed at the memory of her hands wrapped around the horse's neck. The embarrassment couldn't get worse now.

:)_ Sorry for the plants. _

Jane had to bit her lip again. This time to suppress the chuckle. She just received a smiley from Loki, the God of Mischief. Was there anything more absurd in this world?

_Well, what can be done? But remember that we'll discuss it later._ Send.

_Then I guess I'll have to come up with a proper apology and explanation. Well, I shall see you tonight. Of course, unless Mr. Fury isn't going to bore you to death._

Jane's heart skipped a beat. Using minimum of necessary movement, she looked up and around the room.

_You're here? _She typed then.

Another awakening came as she heard Nick's voice sounding through the room. "…And should you notice anything, and I mean _anything_ unusual, make sure to report immediately…."

A message came and made her look at her phone again. _Well, Ms. Foster? Aren't you supposed to report this?_

Her breath quickened. He was there. In the very room. She would have bet he was standing right behind her back. Her head moved automatically to peek over her shoulder, but she stopped the movement halfway as she felt warmth on her ear.

"Talk soon, Ms. Foster. " A whisper sounded and the warmth was gone.

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><p><em>Live out in sad shacks at the back of town.<em>

_Hold your breath while we do you down_

'_cos we're all kinds of animals coming here:_

_occasional demons too._

_(Jethro Tull; Occasional Demons)_


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello my dear friends!** First of all, thank you for following and supporting this story so far, you've been all **so great**! Keep it up please! And as a little **reward** for all the encouragement I've been receiving from you, I'm happy to inform you that there was **a lot of incredible fanart** linked to this story created. This includes **graphics** by _**stuff_0f_legend**_ and _**allinye**_ and also a **trailer** by _**stuff_0f_legend**_. Everything available at: **payheravisit . livejournal . com** (just remove the spaces)

**Important note:** I'm not sure how to put this... Well, those who have read "**Stragazers**" surely remember Loki acting Gollum. And surely you're waiting now for this to be explained. So, the moment has come and I tried to plot that in this very chapter. However, I realize that Loki had been introduced to Tolkien's works in the epic Lokane story "**Fallen Star**" by _**Alydia Rackham**_. So, hereby I attempt to pay an homage to that wonderful story; and I truly hope Alydia might read it once..? (Or maybe not... I'm so nervous about it!)

So, enough of the drivel, let's proceed! (oh, and disclaimer: I own nothing, as usual...)

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Alsatia<strong>

_Alsatia in London, was the name given to an area lying north of the River Thames covered by the Whitefriars monastery, to the south of the west end of Fleet Street and adjacent to the Temple. Between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries it had the privilege of a sanctuary (…) and as a result it was the refuge of the perpetrators of every grade of crime, debauchery, and offence against the laws._

_(Wikipedia dot org/wiki/Alsatia)_

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><p>Jane sighed quietly as she checked the temperature of the teapot.<p>

It felt precisely as it should be. Not too hot and not cold, either. Just warm enough.

She wasn't used to drink tea too much but once she did, she liked it warm. Oh yes, one thing she truly hated was a cold, black tea; there's no deny. So she tapped the lid of the teapot impatiently, bit her lip and turned around. And kept staring at the door.

The entrance to her little mansion. Tiny, poor, but hers. Jane Foster's only.

Jane took a few tentative steps forward, held a breath for a second before pushing the door open and looking outside.

No one.

Just darkness and silence. Well, she used to like the silence. It always offered calm, peace and comfort.

But not anymore. Nowadays, silence meant nervousness and the constant feeling of something unknown gnawing at her very being.

Nevertheless… There was something else creeping behind it all. Jane refused to name it, but during each of the three nights she spent alone and wondering, she kept approaching the word.

Excitement.

Something new. Something worthy of her attention and study.

She hiccupped with a thoroughly unwelcomed and impudent chuckle.

_Nah! Scientists are hopeless. All of them. _

Digging her stare into the darkness, Jane hummed silently, softly, just to break the stillness for a second. After all, it had been her humming that attracted him here that night. But still, there was no living soul around. So she switched on the tiny lamp that hung outside, retreated back into her trailer, closed the door and sat on the floor, embracing her legs.

_What time was it back then? Half past ten? Eleven?_

She frowned._ Oh, come on, it must have been around this time! _

Jane cleared her throat and listened to the quickly fading echo of the sound. Then she stood up abruptly and walked to her bed, sat down crossing her legs and opened the laptop. For a short moment, her fingers lingered on the keyboard. But then, feeling too nervous to create something meaningful, she withdrew, annoyed.

_No, no more work tonight. _

Jane let her index finger tease the touchpad while falling in thoughts. Suddenly, she twisted her look to the tiny, thin box lying beside the laptop. She scowled at her cell phone as if it was a strange, unknown thing.

But then, Jane grabbed it and went through the received messages. _'Sincerely as only I can be, L.L.'_, she read for a fifteenth time. Her thumb was ready to type. But the letters and words whirling wildly in Jane's head just wouldn't stop and form into anything coherent.

_Nonsense._ She spat at herself, tossed the phone on the bed and rested her cheek in her palm. _What does the second L mean, by the way?_

Jane couldn't think of anything to do, so eventually, she just closed the text editor window and instead, she opened and searched the music folder. _Honestly, this silence is killing me!_

She paused for a while and then, as if an unexpected idea struck her, Jane started searching for something particular. _There_. The old record of her mother's concert. How long it had been since she had listened to it last? Ages.

Before clicking the play button, Jane tapped at her lower lip, her eyes roving around the room. Then she bent forward, reached out her arm and searched under the bed. Soon, her hand moving like a spider, she found the cable of the speakers, pulled it up and plugged in. _Play._

Truth, some kind of white noise could be heard in the background, but the sound of the piano was still impressive. Satisfied, Jane stood up, poured herself a cup of the warm tea and sat cross-legged beside the entrance again.

One minute, two, five…

Jane let out a sigh and rested her head against the cabinet behind her. Her eyelids slid down slowly and she simply let the soft sound embrace her. And mindlessly, her fingers just followed the melody, pattering on her calf.

_Beautiful. _

_What's the name of this piece? _She searched her memories. _Oh, Jane… _

"Shame on me, I can't remember!" she complained aloud to herself, waving her hand and tilting her head back.

"Berceuse, Op. 57." A silent voice answered for her. The sound of it was so delicate and pleasing, fitting effortlessly to the music. It almost felt like the vocal chords that spoke those words were made just for this moment.

Jane, startled a little, bent forward and waited. Then she got up to her feet and opened the door fully. Observing the surroundings, Jane held onto the doorframe. She found no one, so she leaned the cup in her hand against her chest, bowed her head and looked down.

"Seems like you did some research." She tried.

Silence.

"You just can't stand being behind, am I right..?" Jane looked up, holding her breath not to miss any sound.

No answer.

"Very well." Jane smiled and nodded. "Then what about this one…" she planted virtual bait and turned around. Quickly, she reached the laptop and switched the song to Schubert's Impromptu.

And rising her brows and keeping the smile on her face, she slowly ambled back.

Two peridot irises welcomed her in the doorway. "And you, Jane Foster, seemingly can't stand being pushed out of the position of the ultimate know-it-all, am I right?" He asked, leaning forward a bit, his hands clasped behind his back.

A slight crease appeared between her brows as she tilted her head; but it vanished as quickly as it came. After all, she was still unsure how to react.

Patently awaiting some kind of witty remark, Loki "The-mysterious-second-L" arched one eyebrow. "Well, Miss Foster?"

She gave a faint, uncomprehending smile. "Well what?"

He looked straight into her eyes, but there was something playful in his expression. He checked briefly on his fingernails. "It's said that a lack of objection means a silent approval."

"Well, um…" _Come on, Jane. It's your turn to say something clever. Go on!_

"Eh… Want some tea?" _Crap…_

No matter how hard she tried, there were no words available in her blank mind.

"Sure." He sighed in reply.

_Seems there's a long evening ahead. _

Feeling extremely awkward, Jane turned around, stood her cup on the counter carefully and poured another one. She felt all alerted and stiff while waiting for any sign of a movement behind her. However, nothing happened, so she turned back to face him.

"Here you go." Jane uttered and looked elsewhere to avoid his eyes. "Come on, aren't you going to take it?"

He remained unmoving in the doorway. "I'm not your guest, Jane."

"Ah." Well, the excitement was a bit exaggerated term. If anything, this was perfectly _tense_.

_See, Jane. I've told you. You've gotten yourself in a trouble. Enormous, gigantic trouble. _

"Or at least… I don't remember being invited inside." He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. And when Jane dared to look at him, it seemed the mysteriously playful attitude was almost there again.

"Yeah, um…" Quickly, she took both cups and handled one to him.

"You know…" Jane began, not too certain what she actually wanted to say; and paused right after.

"The tea's getting cold already. You're late." She blurted out to break the silence, just before she could reconsider her words. As a result, she bowed her head nervously and attempted to take a sip, as if nothing happened.

However, she failed to swallow. Her wrist shot up to press against the wet mouth and her body shook with a series of choked coughs.

"Miss Foster…" Loki shook his head. "This beverage has to be sipped, not inhaled." He purred mockingly, obviously enjoying the little show.

Standing her cup on the cabinet, Jane propped her arm against it, trying hard not to smile at this (again?) totally absurd situation. When she managed to gain some composure, she took a few shallow breaths and wiped her mouth with the long sleeve.

"I know, but thank you for the reminder." She managed in a hoarse voice.

"You're very welcome. However," A dark eyebrow went up again. "You should remember one thing, Jane." Dramatic pause. "Loki is never late." He stated silkily and sipped on his tea, calm through and through.

"I see." She cleared her throat, not knowing what else to add. But suddenly, a light sparkled in her mind. Still propped and looking down, she twirled her lips just a little.

"Nor is he early," Jane recalled aloud. "He arrives precisely when he means to." She looked up and waited, enjoying his half puzzled, half appreciative stare.

"Correct, Miss Foster." He shifted in his position to have a better view of her. "How did you know?"

"Just guessed." Jane smiled and straightened. "Apparently, all wizards are the same."

"Oh, are they?" Loki cocked his head, looking entertained. "And how many wizards do you know?"

"Just a few." She grinned and looked away. "Well," she cleared her throat lengthily, "I'd like to preserve some warmth here, so…" _Be careful, Jane. You shouldn't invite him inside._ "So, what about closing the door? We can sit outside for a while." She offered and walked to her bed to take the blanket with her.

When she returned, the blanket already wrapped around her tiny figure, she found him standing in the same position, wearing an unreadable expression. "Well?" She lifted her brows at him.

_Oh dear, here it comes again. Me being brave._

"I believe…"she glanced outside, narrowing and focusing her eyes as if searching for something, "that just a few moments ago, someone mentioned that the lack of objection equals to a silent approval."

"You learn quickly, Miss Foster." He all but whispered.

Getting alerted again, Jane watched his hand move.

"Ladies first." he gestured.

"Yeah." Jane breathed. "Thanks." She obeyed his command, smiling faintly.

Jane observed the door closing by itself behind her enigmatic visitor and then she sat on the first doorstep. Loki sat down beside her, placing his right leg on the second step, the left on the ground below. The arm that was holding the cup by the rim rested on his knee; his back and the dark-haired head leaned against the closed door. His eyes slid shut.

Jane observed all that. Silently, attentively. She had to admit that there was no doubt that this man had been raised in a royal family. There was something noble, regal, elegant and absolutely effortless in his every move.

_He's wearing the same clothes as before._ She noticed. _But…_

"What have you done with your hair?" Jane implied as she watched the unruly, dark waves.

Loki opened his eyes and not lifting it from the door surface, turned his head slowly. He held her gaze for a moment, then caught one curl between his slender fingers and straightened it.

"Nothing, actually." He shrugged and watched the hair strand.

Then he looked at her again. "So tell me, Miss Foster. Who are those wizards you know?"

Jane let out a laugh and leaned back against the door as well. She looked up at the starry sky, glad that the dim light of the small lamp was directed away from her sight.

"They are no real people, I'm afraid." She sighed eventually.

"I guess that some time ago you wouldn't have considered me the real person either." He pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but…" she paused to think over her next statement. "I'm quite certain the wizard we're talking about is _not_ a real person."

"How can you know?"

"He's a part of a fairytale. Product of a writer's imagination." Jane insisted, placing her confident stare upon her companion.

"And am I not?" he lifted a brow provocatively.

"N…" Jane tried but then let her head lean back again. "I'm not sure about anything anymore." She sighed at the flickering stars.

"Sounds familiar to me." He answered and took a sip of his, now certainly cold, black tea. "Nevertheless… Real or not, the one who said those words about wizards sounds like a wise person."

"Indeed." Jane smiled. "Good, old Gandalf." She added more or less to herself.

"You mean Gandalfr?" Loki frowned. "He's a wizard in your fairytales?"

"He is..." Jane's forehead furrowed as she trailed off. "Wait!" she beamed and straightened. "You're familiar with the name, aren't you?"

"Yes." He pointed out almost carefully, watching her. "Unluckily." He sighed then and shook the liquid in his cup. "Naughty little dwarf."

"Dwarf..?" Jane bent forward, ran her fingers through her hair and laughed. "Well, that's… of course, it's based on the Norse myths… Or at least inspired. Kind of." She muttered, smiling.

"I'm still here, Miss Foster." Loki reminded.

"Yeah, I know." She mumbled, letting go of her hair-strands.

"Perfect!" Loki chirped sarcastically. "Then would you please talk to _me_?"

"Ah… Yeah, of course." Jane returned from the land of her thoughts and entered the reality once again. "Sorry, I was just thinking about the basics of the story."

"The one which that Gandalfr is a part of?"

"Gandalf." Jane corrected him straight away.

"That's a wrong spelling."

"Stickler."

"Thank you." He answered calmly, looking satisfied.

Jane furrowed one brow. Her mouth, ready for the next round, froze. The air ready to voice another argument was just exhaled instead.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Has anyone ever told you you're insufferable?"

"Watch your mouth, Jane." He stated quietly, looking away.

And the hidden menace his voice was holding had Jane's heart skipping a beat.

"And yes, I've been told too many times for even trying to count." His voice shifted like the direction of the wind; taking the sudden tension completely away.

Jane allowed herself a small sigh of relief.

"You've been referring to a story, Miss Foster. Please, continue." He spoke after a moment. "I've become quite interested."

"You have?" she smiled. "Well, then why don't you read yourself?"

"Oh, Jane… I don't think so." Both his smile and tone revealed a plain, rude scorn. "My time is too precious for another Midgardian rubbish."

"What?" Jane felt suddenly taken aback in a very unpleasant manner. He may have shown something like favor or interest, but at the end of the day, he seemed to hold the same disdain for everyone else except him.

Jane scowled, straightening her back, looking directly in his eyes. He seemed amused and expectant. And that had her getting angry.

"Then why are you here? Right now? Aren't you wasting your _precious_ time with me as well?" Jane retorted, making sure to give an extra emphasis to the right words.

But all she got from him was a mere chuckle. He stood his cup between them and ran his fingertip around the rim. "Tell me, Jane, do you consider yourself clever?" he began quietly, observing the cup.

"What?" She spat, becoming furious. "What do you mean?"

"Clever, Jane." He suddenly leaned in, like a wolf hovering above its victim. "Shrewd, or intelligent in other words. You do understand English, right?" the words came out in a form of a hiss so cold it sent a chill down her spine.

And no, she couldn't stop her fury from transforming quickly into fear.

"Well, there are… There's certainly a bunch of people more intelligent than me, but… Why do you ask anyway?" Jane tried to keep her voice from trembling. In vain.

"Why?" he whispered, lifting his brows all but innocently, his eyes fully opened, piercing her soul. "Do you believe, Miss Foster, that I would come here if I had considered it a waste of time? Do you really think I would even bother with the thought?"

She breathed out, staring into his eyes that harbored both curiosity and insanity. _What had happened to this being?_ A silent question sounded in a faraway place of her mind.

"Sounds logical…" she continued carefully, buying herself a few seconds more, "But you can never be sure, can you?"

His head, so close to her face, tilted in the tiniest angle. Her eyes slid to his thin lips.

"I mean, you cannot tell something is a waste of time unless you just give it a try." She muttered, lifting her stare back to his eyes.

"Continue." He commanded, his expression and voice blank and absentminded.

"Um…" _But how should I continue? I said everything on that topic. It's clear._ Jane complained internally. She blinked a few times and then let a victorious grin to appear – well, in her mind, at least. _Oh, thank you Gandalf!_

"You know… Even the very wise cannot see all ends." She smiled weakly, but defiantly.

For an endless moment, he just stared, his eyes still keeping that terrifying emptiness. But then, as if an unknown entity in his head managed to strike the fire of his mind back, he smiled, bowing his head.

_Compared to spending time with him, rollercoaster would feel like riding an old, fat pony._

"Jane, dear Jane." He muttered. "What possibly would you do without your good old Gandalfr?" He looked up; a sort of affable mockery illuminating his eyes this time. "Am I right?"

"Gandalf." Jane whispered stubbornly, letting a small smile on her face as well.

Loki cleared his throat as his eyes closed for a moment. "Is there anything I can do to stop you saying that?"

"You…" _Jane! Shut your mouth, for everything good in the world!_

"You'll have to kill me, I'm afraid." Not listening to her inner voice, she stated firmly. Brown eyes pierced the green ones.

"Be careful what you wish for, Miss Foster." He warned, his voice stinging and sweet. Then he tilted his head again and gave Jane a long, inquisitive stare. "Do you not fear me?" he asked at last.

In reply, Jane just turned away silently, embraced her knees and looked away into the night. "First of all, I don't know you." She inhaled and paused to think.

"And it's said that it's the unknown that makes people afraid." She spoke then. "However, it's always been the unknown that I considered fascinating."

He chuckled mutedly. "Truly a diplomatic answer." He sighed in an appreciative manner. "Saying nothing and everything at the same time… That's a rare ability."

"Thanks." Jane turned to him with a wide smile, bringing one hand up to support her head. Her lips parted to say something more, but then joined again.

A peaceful silence encircled them. Just the delicate, muted sound of the old music was making its way through the air.

"Ah! The Raindrops." Loki noticed.

"Yes." Jane breathed, stretched her arms and laid her head on her knees. Slowly, her eyes closed.

"Are you tired?" Loki asked quietly, almost as if trying not to spoil the sound.

"No." Jane smiled and swayed a little. "I just have a weak spot for this particular piece of 'Midgardian rubbish'." She muttered in reply, giving him a quick, tentative glance.

"Don't you dare abuse my statements, Jane." He all but smiled, sneaking one finger in his now empty cup, overturning it.

Jane just grinned back, shrugging slightly, and let her eyes close again. She felt him stir in his spot when the song ended.

"What's the name of that book?" He asked, sounding as indifferent as possible, rocking the overturned cup from side to side.

"Ha!" Jane woke up. "Wait a sec." she promised merrily, shook off the blanket, jumped to her feet and retreated inside her trailer.

And with Jane temporarily gone, Loki sighed deeply, as if releasing the weight of the entire universe, and cradled his face in his hands. He could set this lonely, dismal place on fire. Let it burn to ashes. He could freeze it to the core.

_I could… I…_

The door creaked open and a hand holding a well-known pack of biscuits emerged first. Then the tiny figure of Jane Foster made its way out, her other hand wrapped around a book.

Giving the door a quick glance he silently commanded it to close.

"Want some?" she smiled, gesturing at the biscuits.

He nodded, displaying a playful face, but did nothing.

"Huh." She raised the hand with the pack and waited. But then she understood and shook her head, laughing quietly. "No, I'm not going to feed you this time. You have two hands now to do that yourself."

"Hm, true." He admitted and took one biscuit. "Ay," he frowned with an unpleasant surprise. "It's much harder than before!"

Jane chuckled and sat down, observing him curiously. "Can be. But I guess the real reason is that you just had a stronger mouth at that time."

"Whatever…" he muttered, still frowning. "Can I have a sip of your tea?"

"Of course." Jane answered and handed her cup to him.

"Hm…" he raised his index finger and waited until swallowing. "Can I see the book?"

"You _must_." Jane corrected and passed him her own, precious copy of the collector's edition of The Hobbit, bound in green leatherette with red and gold runic inscription around the periphery of the front cover. In the center of the inscription, there was a picture of a path leading through the forest in front of mountains.

"Runes! No way…" Loki murmured as he wrapped his fingers around the thing carefully. "I thought you mortals had forgotten about them."

"Well, they are just on the cover. And as the accompanying descriptions in the maps." Jane explained calmly, trying not to reveal too much of the enthusiasm and amusement she felt about the whole situation.

"I see." He let his long fingers trace the sign. "The Hobbit or There and Back Again, being the record of a year's journey of Bilbo Baggins; compiled from his memoirs." He read silently.

"Amazing!" Jane couldn't help a toothy grin, rubbing her toes mindlessly.

He darted an uncomprehending look at her. "You're complimenting me on the ability to read? Are you sure?"

She pressed her fingers to her temples. "Um… Sorry. Of course you can read." She managed with a muted chuckle before giving him an apologetic look. "You know, I'm just happy to meet another person who can read the runes, that's all."

"But I guess being familiar with the rune alphabet isn't a real advantage in this world?"

"Yes and no." She stated, sounding mysterious and observed his reaction sideways. She smiled and rested her small chin on her knees, pulling the edge of her nightgown over her toes.

"When I was a child, I had a very good friend in school. Right from the start, we were always sitting together… We loved to chat and laugh over… everything possible." She paused, licking her lips, her eyes fluttering as if trying to clear the view at her old memory.

"We were often reprimanded by the teachers for that." Her eyes shot in his direction as she heard something close to a compassionate snort. She could not stop her brow from rising slightly at that.

_Here you go, Prince Loki. Seems you know what I'm speaking about. All children are the same, right?_

"And one day we got separated. So we started to send messages on paper. And to avoid the teachers and others from reading our notes, we used to write them in runes." She explained, her sight lingering somewhere around the line where the illuminated ground was being swallowed by the darkness.

"Hm." He answered, seemingly deep in thought, and drummed his pale fingers on the book surface. "Isn't life just funny in a way." He sounded after a while.

"To be honest, I've been expecting you to tell me a very similar tale." Jane bit her lip, amused and curious.

"And when exactly I've become so predictable?" His eyes narrowed at her in a very impish manner.

"Ask yourself." Jane replied merrily and took one biscuit from the pack. "Ugh… Truly quite hard to bite. They must have dried up." She mumbled, frowning slightly.

"So?" Jane prompted eagerly after swallowing. "It's your turn."

"Depends on what you want to hear, Jane." He sighed, propping his elbow on the book cover and supporting his head with the hand. "My story is pretty much the same. With the minor change in the used code. We kept on using the same runes, except that I simply shifted the reading frame."

"How?" Jane's forehead creased.

"Very simply, actually. I just passed the pronunciation of one letter to another." He smiled slyly.

"So, applied on our alphabet, A would read like B, B like C…"

"Precisely, Miss Foster. The brightness of your intellect is just blinding me."

"Stop it!"

He just laughed in reply. Such a comforting, adorable sound.

She viewed him doubtfully. "Well, but it's actually very simple. How long did that work?"

"Hm. I guess the trick laid in the simplicity. I was quite surprised myself on how long we'd managed to keep the code secret." He continued, still wearing the sly expression.

"The simplest explanation is often the right one." Jane acknowledged. "However, it is quite unbelievable how many people just don't trust this rule."

"So true." He muttered.

Silence.

"And…"Jane began carefully, "who was that 'we'?" she asked eventually. And right after the words left her mouth, she was sure she should not ask this.

"Is this an interrogation or what?" The air got immediately colder around them as he turned away.

Jane clutched at her knees, wishing she hadn't voiced that question; wishing for the unpleasant intensity to ease again.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, closing her eyes firmly. And after a few tense moments, she dared to open one eye cautiously.

He was looking at the book again, studying the picture, chin cradled in his palm. "What's a Hobbit?" he muttered, his fingers attached to his lips whilst speaking.

"It's not 'what'; it's a 'who'." Jane began quietly, studying the texture of her blanket. "It's a living being." She placed her hand around her bent legs again and looked up, as if searching the words between the stars. "They look like us, but they're smaller. So they're also often called halflings."

"So… Perfectly 'Jane Foster-ish'?" He wondered in an indifferent voice, which greatly contrasted with his statement.

The cold subsided.

"No." Jane furrowed her forehead, but felt relieved inside. "No, I absolutely refuse the thought. I admit I actually…" she couldn't help a grin, "I secretly wished to be a hobbit. But that was long ago. When I was a little girl."

"Was?" his brows shot up as he turned to look her up and down. "Are you sure about the tense?"

"Yes!" she stirred, annoyed. And he seemed to enjoy it.

"And I can't be a hobbit. I mean - come on, they have hairy feet!" she protested.

"I'll be happy to give you those." He grinned. "Feel free to ask."

"No!" she yelped, dragging her feet instinctively closer to her body, watching him lean closer again.

"Are you sure?" he purred amusedly, hitching his finger at the edge of her nightgown. "You should know, Jane, that I'm usually not that generous all the time. This is a rare opportunity for your childhood dream to come true."

"No, Loki, please!" She managed through all the giggles. "I prefer being human after all."

He did not reply. Instead, his eyebrows raised a level as his eyes went slowly down to the place where she was hiding her feet under the cover of nightgown and blanket. "As you wish." He sighed unfathomably, and pulled back.

Jane watched him with horror. "What have you done?" she peeped eventually, grasping and squeezing as much of the textile as she could.

"Me?" he asked all but innocently.

"Is there any other person?" she waved her hands desperately, but placed them immediately back to clutch at the edge of her blanket, keeping her toes hidden.

"Who knows…" he speculated, faking a mysterious voice. "Maybe there's a dwarf mine under your trailer, and now they're listening to our every word!"

"Oh come on!" she whined, but nevertheless, unintentionally, looked around as well. "Can't you just tell me what you have done with my feet?" she insisted angrily.

"Nothing particular." He replied casually, browsing through the book. "Just fulfilled your wish."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes." He assured and glanced at her sideways. "And why don't you check my work? I'm quite eager to hear your opinion."

"No." she retorted. "You'll laugh at me to complete my humiliation."

"Nah!" he snapped playfully. "I promise I won't."

"You're laughing already!" she frowned, but her lips twisted up.

"Oh no, I'm not." He objected, not looking at her. "Miss Foster, please proceed. Sooner or later, you'll have to face the truth, anyway."

Jane sighed, resigned. "All right." she spat and began to drag her nightgown up, slowly, carefully. "Not a sound!" she commanded, darting an angry look at the half-smirking man next to her.

"Not a sound." He promised.

And as Jane looked back at her feet, she found out they remained perfectly unchanged. Except one little detail. Her nails were painted the sweetest, stickiest shade of pink.

She just stared, her brows knitting together, falling and raising again. "What..?" She breathed out and turned to the trickster, who was currently busy fighting back a sudden urge to cough.

"So. Satisfied, are we?" At last, he grinned toothily and stood up. "You've wished for remaining human, have you not?"

"Yes." She managed.

"Well, I believe your feet _are_ perfectly human. Or…" he scratched on his temple theatrically. "Or, is it possible for me to make a mistake? Me?" he touched his chest, looking askance at the sky above.

"You…" Jane uttered, darting a piercing stare at him.

Disregarding her menacing voice, he shook his head and placed his free arm on his hip, "No, that's rather unlikely. Right, Miss Foster?" He asked, looking mockingly straight into her eyes, tapping the book at his lips.

"You…" She stood up this time and took a step forward.

Looking casually at the book he was holding he took a step back in response. "Well, Miss Foster, it's been a most enjoyable talk; however, I'm afraid the Time is an unmerciful lord and I should bid you farewell for tonight."

Taking another step back, Loki weighed the copy of The Hobbit in his hand. "Thank you for the book. I shall return it tomorrow."

Remaining silent, Jane just proceeded with walking towards him. But then she was forced to stop as he placed his intense gaze upon her.

"And one more thing. Since you refused to have fine fur on your feet, I would not recommend walking on the cold ground without proper shoes." He stated firmly, and left Jane marveling at how quickly he was able to change his tone from playful to adamant.

"I can decide on my own…" she protested weakly and checked briefly on her bare feet. She wanted to finish the objection while raising her head up again. However, she didn't, since she realized there was no one left to listen to it.

* * *

><p><em>It's Alsatia<em>

_You just believe in the lie to forget the awful truth  
>You know the disturbance never ends<em>

_There is no reason to take this process  
>Resentment will change into sweet desire<br>You'll run for your life in this mystical world_

_Beware of the night…_

* * *

><p>Jane's eyes fluttered open when the first morning sunbeams tickled her eyelids. She rolled on her back and looked at the ceiling. <em>What time it can be? The alarm hasn't ringed yet… so, 6am or 6:30, maybe? Oh please, I need to sleep at least an hour longer…<em> She rolled back to the left side, grabbed the cellphone and checked the clock with a hope and a worry at the same time. However, it was something else that caught her attention in the first place.

A message.

_Open!_

Confused, she let her eyebrows collide a first. But then she realized the dream that had her tossing and turning the whole night hadn't been just a dream at all.

"_And what would you do, if an uninvited dwarf came and hung his things up in your hall without a word of explanation?" – My fist clenched at that! Nevertheless, great first chapter. My word I like the Gandalf. Although, he clearly must be insane. L.L. _

Jane covered her mouth to block the spluttered chuckle. Rolling on her back again, she read the message four times more, grinning in a silly manner. After placing the cell phone on her chest, the gears of her mind started to shift in order to think out an appropriate answer.

Finally, she rubbed one eye, stretched the other arm and folded it under her head. And as she did so, she caught a glimpse of her perfectly pink toenails.

_I'll have to think about something particularly nasty._ She decided.

* * *

><p><em>Eternal vigilance is the price that you must pay to your desire<em>

_It's Alsatia_

_You just go against the law, fall into delusion  
>You know the disturbance never ends… <em>

* * *

><p>Tony squeezed through the slit in the door, sipped on his hot coffee and browsed the morning news on his phone.<p>

_Minor earthquake in L.A. last night…_ The very first headline made him stop right in front of the entrance to the restaurant he had just left. Truth, Tony himself hated when people stood in the doorways or at the top of a staircase, blocking it (and especially the kind that loved occupying the escalator exits), however, now he just did not care.

_Well, nothing serious, as always…_ he discovered while skimming through the news. He breathed and set off.

_Still, I should text Pepper._ He made an internal note as he stood beside his car. _Or… maybe not._ He hesitated after realizing today's date. _So, it's been two months already?_

To be exact, two months since Pepper explained to him that it would be much wiser to put their relationship back into the business terms.

_After all, it seems like you're no silly girl, Pep. Best wishes._

Tony tossed his cell phone onto the passenger seat and leaned against the opened door. For a while, he just observed the life around, biting his thumb mindlessly. _Is it really worth the trouble today?_ He sighed at the vision of another grueling meeting with Nick. _Last week we had an alert at least. But now everyone is serious like attending a UN Security Council session. Well, regardless all the boredom, time to take off_. He managed to persuade himself eventually and tapped his fingers on the car surface. _Furthermore, you'll need to think about something new that'll make Miss Perfect mad today. _

He let out a long breath and for the last time, he looked around.

He would reproach himself for this later. However, after a few months, he would reconsider that, and some years later, he would have to admit it that this particular moment made him happy and grateful.

He sighed as he watched the town. _Nothing extraordinary._

Everything as it should be. Unmoving, dry air, hot weather, boredom… His stare skipped from people to buildings, from buildings back to people…

_Wait. What's that?_

Everything could have been pretty normal, in its usual, dull fashion. But not today. Not this.

Tony's sight stopped at a mysterious figure sitting on the roof ledge of one of the houses with white facade across the street. It was a tall, lean man with long, black hair, dressed also in black. He wore boots and his coat reached to his knees. One of his legs was bent and his elbow was rested against the knee; the other leg hung over the ledge. And to Tony's surprise, the stranger seemed to be reading a book.

Tony blinked a few times and looked around in confusion. _What's up, people? A fellow is sitting on the rooftop and is reading a book!_

However, no one else apart from Tony seemed to be worried about the situation.

_Nothing?_

In fact, it rather looked like Tony was the only one to notice this bizzare situation. So he snorted disdainfully and stepped back from his car, viewing the others and waving his hands in a pleading gesture. _Oh folks, come on!_

He dared to look at the incriminated spot once again. And the unknown stranger was still there, almost like just to laugh at Tony. Which actually happened as the stranger tore his gaze from the book and looked roguishly straight at Tony. Truth, it could be hardly estimated how much roguishness the look was hiding from that distance, but somehow, Tony just knew.

And so he watched his surroundings for a moment, then removed the plastic lid and smelled his coffee carefully.

_Coffee. Just coffee. But I guess I shouldn't finish it, anyway_. He turned back to look at the restaurant, giving it a suspicious stare.

When he turned back, he realized the stranger kept sitting there, but was not looking at Tony anymore. Apparently, he returned to his book. Nevertheless, he seemed to sense he was being watched, and so he waved his hand slightly at Tony, possibly as a greeting.

_So, Tony… Maybe the time has come to welch on everything and just go and have a good breakfast._

And determined to set his idea into motion, Tony bent forward and reached into his car to retrieve his cell phone again. He closed the door and as if appearing there in the middle of a summer Sunday morning, he walked slowly and calmly back to the restaurant.

Holding a plate of pancakes with blueberry coating and cream, Tony sat down at the lonesome table in a lonesome box by a wide window. First, he looked outside and then around the restaurant. _Everything perfectly normal. All right. That's what it should be._ He mumbled to himself and dug the fork into his food. At least I can read the news peacefully; he realized and took his cell phone to do so. He laid it on the table. But there was something else that caught his attention when he raised his eyes up a bit. Something that made him freeze and stop every movement, even breathing.

The stranger in black was not on the roof top anymore. No. He was in the restaurant now. Sitting right in front of Tony.

His legs were bent and rested on the bench; his back propped against the apron. And as before, he was reading a book. It wasn't in Tony's intention to study what kind of book it was, but he managed to notice it had a green leatherette hard cover. Well, nothing special.

Contrary, the stranger himself looked quite unusual. His skin was very pale, in contrast to his raven hair. And speaking of his hair, it looked like it was most probably meant to be slicked back, however, that might have been before one or two days. Now the hair-strands began to twirl and stick out. And as for the choice of clothes – well, Tony wouldn't mind to see this on a sci-fi or a fantasy con, but here..?

But disregarding that all, there was still something more, something unknown that made Tony disconcerted and nervous. _What could it be?_

However, Tony was not given any further time to think, as the stranger suddenly spoke, not lifting his stare from his book, his voice quiet, yet hiding a kind of enigmatic intensity.

„Have you forgotten how to greet a companion, Mr. Stark?"

* * *

><p><em>Cloud in the mists of time<br>You must take aim and play your game  
>Emotional neglect is the price that you must pay to your desire<em>

_It's Alsatia_

_You just go against the law, fall into delusion  
>You know the disturbance never ends<em>

_(Galneryus; Alsatia)_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Huh! Finished! Now, the question is - what do you think? Please, all "Fallen Star" fans, have mercy on me! And also - if you have spotted any mistakes in English, please, PLEASE do tell me. I am planning to take the FCE exam this term, so it would be really helpful for me! Thanks a lot and see you soon :)<strong>  
><em>


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Terrain recognition**

* * *

><p><em>Beware what stalks you in the night<em>  
><em>Beware the she-wolf and her bite<em>  
><em>Her mystic lips tell only lies<em>

_Beware what stalks you in the night_  
><em>Beware the she-wolf and her bite<em>  
><em>Her hidden will to kill in disguise<em>

_(Megadeth; She Wolf)_

* * *

><p>„Have you forgotten how to greet a companion, Mr. Stark?"<p>

_Wow, so he can speak. Now, what a dramatic shift._ Tony thought and looked around. No reaction from anywhere, the whole restaurant simply enjoyed a peaceful, usual morning. People chatting, glass and knives and forks clinking… And a mysterious, dark-haired guy sitting in front of a very perplexed Iron Man.

_Easy, Tony. Just take it easy. No need to rush; just think it over methodically…_ Tony had kept repeating to himself before swallowing. Then he straightened his back a little, held the fork tightly and started cutting another portion.

Staring at the pancakes as if they suddenly chose to turn into something particularly interesting, Tony coughed slightly, meaningfully, and spoke. "Since my childhood I've been under that strange impression that the younger ones greet first." He answered with a tiny hint of caution. Well, even if approaching zero, there still lingered a certain possibility that the weirdo across the table might have been real.

Said weirdo let out a short, nearly compassionate laugh. "Well, then I think our impressions are pretty much the same." He stated simply and not raising his sight, he slowly turned the page of the green leatherette-covered book he was reading.

Tony spared a second to take a closer look at those pale, clean, slender fingers manipulating the paper. Then he blinked, maneuvered another forkful into his mouth and just… chewed.

After a terribly prolonged silence Tony decided to look at his companion once more. "Hm." He sounded finally, tilting his head slightly to the side and leaning his knuckle against his chin. "So, you're implying that you're the older one here?" Tony asked and stared the dark-haired guy up and down. The latter returned just a quick, but the more intense glance and a hint of a smile passed his lips.

"Really?" One of Tony's eyebrows went up. "Then I must admit you look quite good." He said as he pointed the fork at his companion.

"See Mr. Stark?" asked the stranger, kind of surprisingly.

„What?" Tony asked back, tilting his head.

„If you want you can become very polite. Maybe even flattering." The stranger sighed. "And I almost started to think you would not speak to me."

„Well, you probably should have." Tony stated, omitting all the caution this time, and leaned against the backrest. While doing so, he put on the cheekiest expression he could think of.

„Oh really?" the stranger repeated Tony's earlier statement. „What a pity, Mr. Stark." He continued calmly as he slowly closed the book. „How very unfortunate for you." He shifted in his position to sit straight and leaning the elbows on the table, he looked into Tony's eyes. His voice was calm and quiet, but Tony could not think of anything giving deeper chills.

_But then again… So what._

„Mmm." Tony took the risk, pursed his lips and shook his head slowly. „I don't think so." He said eventually and tried to refrain from dropping the perfectly mastered, impertinent smile. He just waited silently, patiently, and stared into the intriguing green orbs.

"Oh why?" A whisper came out and those green orbs focused in an interestingly menacing fashion.

And then, suddenly, Tony realized how he felt. As a silent sheep, staring helplessly in the gleaming eyes of a hungry wolf. _Okay. So. What now?_

With effort, Tony finally managed to break the eye contact and made himself focus on a waitress passing by their able. He cleared his throat and looked down. "You know…" he began, the caution back in place, "I rather avoid talking to people who seem to know me but make no efforts to introduce themselves." _Great, Tony, just great. _

Tony let the corner of his mouth slightly up again. "Same goes to people who don't exist." He added; and when the answer was not coming, he leaned his elbows on the desk, too.

"Well, to be honest," Tony said and rubbed the back of his head mindlessly, "I'm afraid Pep was right. She's always right, ya know? Sometimes it's pretty irritating, I must admit." Tony continued, turning his head slightly and looking at the window. He sighed. Then his head snapped back. "I drink too much. That's a fact." He stated and smacked his hand against the table desk, his eyes fixed on it as well. "She always said I'll pay for it in time. " He explained as though in front of his psychologist. "And see? It finally happened._ It finally happened… I'm slightly mad…_" Tony intoned one of his favorite pieces by Queen and then trailed off to make a dramatic pause. "And… Tataa! You're here." He added finally.

"Wait, wait, wait." The stranger barged in and raised his index finger. "Please." He leaned in. "I do not wish to be confused with your booze demons. Understood?"

At that, Tony ducked his head. "You're not my booze demon?" His eyebrows collided as well.

"Most certainly not."

"Sure?" Tony tried.

"Quite sure." The stranger replied with a hint of… something. "At least I wasn't the last time I checked."

"Well, that's…" Tony scratched his head. "Confusing." He murmured, looking out of the window. "Nevertheless," He woke up suddenly and pointed at his companion. "you're still my hallucination. Of some unknown kind and origin, but you are. Truth, I have no clue about why my subconscious mind picked up a strange guy with the British accent who is obviously a member of a fantasy-literature club and loves sitting on the roofs, but… Yeah, why not? I'm quite satisfied. Amazed."

„And what kind of person would you prefer as a hallucination, Mr. Stark?" The stranger asked and leaned closer as the twinkle in his emerald eyes revealed a slight interest.

„Well…" And of course, Anthony Stark chose to accept the challenge and leaned in as well. „If I could choose, then it would have been…" Tony narrowed his eyes a little, faking hesitation.

„Please, Tony. I'm listening."

„You know, I'd rather hallucinate about a woman." Tony stated, sounding very serious and getting a little closer again.

„Uh-huh." The stranger nodded and tapped at his lips. „Do you have any particular image in mind?"

Tony chuckled. It was weird and kind of absurd, but for some very odd reason, it started to entertain him. „Um – Definitely no red heads." He said.

„Ah. Sure." His dark companion nodded in compassion.

„And certainly no…" Tony stopped. „Wait… You know? About me and Pep?"

„I'm _your_ hallucination, right?" the stranger lifted his eyebrows in a slight annoyance.

„Ah… Yeah. Of course." Tony played a realization and rolled his eyes at himself. „So, um… No blondes, either. I think I had enough of them."

„I see. Oh, watch out." The stranger noted briskly and pushed Tony's plate aside. "Your tie got almost dipped in the cream." He added silkily.

„Wow… Thanks." Tony breathed, somewhat insecure. _Can the hallucinations move the real objects?_

„Please continue." The stranger prompted.

Tony cleared his throat and narrowing his eyes, he viewed his companion intently. "Actually, she might have your appearance, if you know what I mean. Just… maybe longer hair, more delicate features, eyes more like… grey-green…" Tony stopped his listing and smiled as if apologetically. "I mean, don't get me wrong, but your eyes are just… too green, you know?"

„That's all right. You cannot offend me, Mr. Stark."

„Is that so? Well, I'm relieved." Tony laughed and leaned forward a bit more. „And… She may be also a bit shorter…" Tony was almost touching the other man's cheekbone with his forehead now.

„Sure. Understood. Anything else?" the companion asked, sounding almost eager.

„Um," Tony thought aloud, „Yeah. A mole."

„A mole?"

„Yeah!" Tony grinned. „You know, the beauty spot. Something cute. Like that of Cindy Crawford."

„Who's that again…" The stranger rolled his eyes in an obvious annoyance, sighed and rested his head in his palm.

Tony froze. „Hey. You don't know who's Cindy C.?"

„I fear I haven't had the pleasure."

„Now then." Tony snorted. „That's quite odd."

„Please explain." Requested the dark companion.

Tony reached for his coffee and took a sip. „Mm..!" He uttered while swallowing the liquid. "It's simple. None of my hallucinations or alter-ego's would ever dare to say that they don't know Cindy C."

„Interesting." The other man drummed the long fingers on his skinny cheek and his look trailed away. Then his eyes settled at Tony's coffee. "May I?" he asked casually, lifting a brow.

"Uh… Sure." Tony answered, sounding slightly wobbly, and made a minimum movement to hand his cup to his mysterious companion. The latter took it very ceremoniously; he did not rush anything as he let his delicate fingers stroke Tony's. "Thanks." He uttered, not breaking the eye contact as he deliberately poured the dark liquid into his mouth.

"Not bad." The stranger judged and took another small sip. "But tell me, Tony. Why are you still so possessed by the idea that I am not real?"

Tony dropped his sight and just shrugged. „Don't know. But look around. It appears that no one is able to see you. Except me of course."

"Of course." The other man agreed. "However, is it a direct proof of my nonexistence?" he viewed Tony questioningly and shook his head just a little. "I'm getting quite disappointed, Mr. Stark."

„Oh." Tony paused in thought. „I'm sorry. Must have had some sort of a blackout moment, you know. I really need to finish my coffee…" Tony sighed in apology and tried to put on his famous naïve-innocent look.

„Oh, leave it, please." The stranger grinned.

„Negative."

„What?"

„I'll have to stare at you like that until you forgive me." Tony sighed, sounding convincing.

The other man cleared his throat. „Well…" he said at length and rubbed his eyes. „If it's you Mr. Stark… But be assured that I'm doing this purely because of my rare favor in you."

„I shall value it deeply."

„As it should be." The stranger admitted, joining his hands in front of his lips and smiled. „So…" he began after a short pause, putting the hands down on the desk and leaning slightly forward. "Will you tell me about that legendary mole?"

„Sure." Tony agreed, closing in, raised his hand and touched the incriminated spot just above his companion's upper lip. „Here." He said simply, keeping the fingertip in place.

Tony then cradled his chin in his free palm and looked the other man straight in the eye, keeping his stare as challenging and impudent as he could.

The stranger fell silent for a moment and just held Tony's gaze. For a while he seemed to be deep in thought, wondering, ruminating on something intriguing. But then his green eyes narrowed and a pale hand was raised to slowly push Tony's finger away. "I'd rather you refrain from touching me." He said eventually.

„Okay, sorry. But it was meant strictly for the demonstrative purpose." Tony murmured partly into his hand.

And the stranger laughed. The sound was soft and comforting and all but honest. And Tony had to admit he liked it. In the end, he looked down and let out a muted chuckle as well. Then he noticed another waitress on her way to their spot. He looked at her rather instinctively; he really did not expect she would notice him. However, she did. And she came to their table. After that she scanned the desk and then turned to Tony, wearing an almost worried expression.

„Are you dissatisfied with the pancakes, Mr. Stark?" she asked.

„Um…" The questioned gave his abandoned plate a quick glance. „No, I just… Something else caught my attention and I had to think it over, so I've been just thinking… And not eating, obviously, eh… But the pancakes are great, thanks."

„Yeah. You're welcome." The woman chirped merrily. "And would you like something else? Refill your coffee?"

„Oh. You see, I was about to finish it, so…" Tony blinked a few times and gulped the remaining coffee quickly. „Yes, please." He ordered and watched the woman bending her knees minutely as she extended her arm and poured him another round of coffee. „Done." She grinned. „Anything else?"

„Eh… No. Maybe later."

„Okay. And for the lady?" she asked suddenly, turning to the other side of the table.

„For the…"Tony repeated blankly, completely dumbfounded as a pair of the most intriguing, beautiful, grey-green eyes observed him with sheer interest and mockery at the same time.

"I…" he tried to say something, but failed tragically at first. "I – I – I – I don't know, um… coffee, too?" He lifted his brows in absolute confusion, struggling to retain at least the last remnants of his composure.

"As you wish. I'll be right back with the cup." The waitress giggled and disappeared.

And Tony was quite sure he was sweating. Yes. A droplet of sweat just slid down his temple. He held onto the edge of the desk. Then let go, entwined his fingers, looked out the window, then back and… Well, she was still there. Smiling. And obviously having the fun of her life. _Yeah. Very funny._

"So." Tony shrugged and flailed his arms, looking briefly at the other people in the restaurant, not exactly knowing why.

"So?" She asked, her purring tone so… oh.

"So you're a woman now?"

"It seems so." She said softly, resting her chin in her hand, never tearing her eyes off him.

"Okay. That's uh… Great. Really. Aaaall right." He looked outside the window again, tapped his fingers at the desk, and then looked back at her. _Come to think of it…_ He mused, narrowing his eyes at the sight, _A very pretty one. Good job, really. Very good._ He continued the little judging monologue inside his head. Yes, he had to admit that he truly liked the looks of the being that had appeared in front of him.

Her skin was a little less pale than earlier, her hair long, dark, slightly wavy and reaching past the shoulders, some tresses resting on her back. Her face was angular, but very delicate, beautiful, her expression so intelligent, knowing, mischievous, and so mysterious… And those eyes, adorned with beautiful lines of dark eyebrows and long lashes. They were twinkling with a continuous flame, reflecting the brilliant intellect hidden behind. As for the clothes, there was nothing special. Well, all Tony could see from his position was the snow-white, sleeveless top. A silver necklace with green stones hung around her neck. Everything was so… Perfect. Just perfect.

But hey. Wait.

"And what about the mole?" Tony frowned at last.

The woman snorted lightly. "I'm sorry, but I really don't consider it pretty on such a place. Or does that look nice on that woman?"

"Hell, yeah." Tony frowned even more. "Well, um, some people actually don't like it… But hey, I do. It's kind of..." he tried to explain but was cut off.

"Oh, whatever. I'm sorry, I still can't imagine that." She sighed.

"Nah, that's okay. I think I can live without it. Good job, by the way. You look awesome." Tony smiled, leaning against the desk again, taking another detailed look. She leaned back, slowly, and ran a hand through her black hair. And Tony observed every little movement, every muscle and sinew visible as she did so. His eyes trailed lower, tracing all the perfect curves and – _oh!_ – that little, familiar shape under the fabric…

"It is quite impolite to stare at certain areas of a woman's body in such an unmistakable way, Mr. Stark." She pointed out playfully.

"Uh." Was all Tony was capable of at first. Then he literally dragged his stare up to her eye level. "Yeah? Then let me inform you that it is rather unfair to wear a skin-tight top with no bra underneath it."

She knitted her brows together. "No bra?" Her head ducked a bit. "Right!" She smiled. "The undergarment." Something seemingly clicked in place. "I have…" She lifted the incriminated part of her top slightly up and checked the content it had been hiding, "…none. True." She admitted and looked up only to find Tony staring too blatantly.

"Mr. Stark?" One delicate, black eyebrow went up.

Tony just ran his fingers through his hair and intertwined them at the back of his head. "Oh, come on…"

"Aw!" She laughed merrily, tilting her head back. "I really cannot understand why they say women have a hard life… It's always such a fun." She proclaimed, still chuckling. "Anyway." She stated as soon as she regained some composure. "What were we talking about?"

"What?" Tony arched his brows in disbelief. "Tell you what. I'm not sure what we've been talking about the whole time."

"Hm." She frowned in a feigned concern. "Our talk truly has been missing a point." She murmured, looking at the window and tapping a forefinger against her chin. Then she turned her sight back to Tony. "Time to move on to something more sensible, is it?" She purred, and lifting a mischievous brow, she dipped her forefinger in the blueberry coating of Tony's pancakes and licked it.

And Tony just watched. "Well, um… " He cleared his throat. "Yeah, that… makes much more sense."

She chuckled at that and slid the finger out of her mouth with a smack of her lips. "Right." She said then, her voice suddenly shifting into a very serious, maybe even menacing tone. And Tony could not believe the intensity of the uneasiness that hit him with this one word.

She smirked and leaned against the desk. "Do you have any idea as to why I am here?"

"No." Tony answered honestly, swallowing helplessly at the sudden shift in mood. His forehead creased as he tried to ignore the unpleasant pang in his stomach and throat.

"Hm." She smiled then and grabbed the book. "I am here, Mr. Stark, with a special offer."

"I'm listening." He shrugged. "I guess."

"You don't need to." She smirked mysteriously. "All you have to do…" she opened the book, "…is read…" She looked at him, "…and think." She stated and tore a blank piece of paper away.

Tony frowned at that. "Was that really necessary?"

"What?" She scowled at him.

He darted a meaningful look at the book in reply.

She let out an amused, slightly disdainful laugh. "Are you sure, Mr. Stark? You?"

He raised his hands in defense. "Okay, I can't remember when I read a real book last time, but… Come on, this was just painful."

"Painful? Was it?" she snorted and lifted an eyebrow curiously. "Well, _Tony_," she purred, leaning in and reaching out the hand with the paper, "you should maybe reconsider the meaning of this word."

Tony looked at her hand and took the offered piece of paper in his. And to his surprise, he realized it was not blank anymore. There was a sequence of symbols, runes maybe, with several numbers mixed in. It seemed like some coordinates and time.

"What's that?" Tony tilted his head at the woman in front of him.

"I'm sure you'll find out soon. An individual of your intellect should decode it within no more than one, maybe two minutes." She said simply, smiling as if kindly, her tone full of sweet poison. Then she took the book, put it in a purse that suddenly appeared in her hands and stood up.

She stepped closer to him and bent forward. "Good luck." She whispered in his ear. When Tony looked up at her, he saw an utterly innocent face with a sweet smile. "See you soon, sweetie!" she chimed loudly, kissed her index finger and pushed it against his cheek. And flashing him one last gorgeous, yet so terrifying smile, she turned and walked away with a sheer confidence and poise. Tony just watched her retreating form in confusion, frowning deeply. The waitress stopped her on her way out, apologizing and offering the forgotten cup of coffee. She took it.

_Okay_. Tony sighed, and then looked back at the note, turning it around several times, examining it from all the angles for a while. _So was it all real? Or am I _really_ insane? Anyway… Time to turn back into the eating mode._ He shrugged, reached out for his plate of pancakes, laid the paper on the desk beside the plate and resumed his breakfast.

* * *

><p>Loki spun around a little group of young women right after he had gracefully walked through the restaurant's main entrance. Still in the female form, he held the coffee up in order not to spill it, shrugged, and flashed them a knowing smile.<p>

_Stupid cows_, he thought as he sent them an innocent wink,_ Crowding right in front of the entrance… _ He snorted internally as soon as he turned away from them. _I must transform back before I end up as something even close to this._ He frowned and took a sip of the coffee.

But then he just sighed, looked up, let the hand with the cup hang along his side and closed his eyes. _On the other hand…There's no rush._

Yes, Loki had mastered shape-shifting long centuries ago and outran even the most skilled wizards and witches at that. Yet, each transformation always brought something new and unexpected along. And then it was completely up to his willpower how to cope with those slight distractions.

During each transformation, he always maintained his mind and intentions; however, some parts of his personality would change. Or else, some would diminish, and the other would grow stronger.

Exactly as in this most recent case, when his cold, calculative thoughts were slowly distracted by such banalities as the sun… wind… and fresh air... _What's wrong with me? Or have I been wrong all the time and now everything is as it should be?_ He looked around, watching the people passing by, and sighed in confusion. After all, his worst nemesis was not too far. It was not even close. No. It was right there. In his head. Realizing this truth too painfully, he resumed the walk. However, he stopped any further thoughts as he noticed a familiar car passing by.

* * *

><p>Jane held tightly onto the steering wheel, her knuckles all but turning white. A familiar, desired image came into her view. <em>The restaurant. Right there. I did it.<em> Gathering last bits of the vanishing energy, she managed to park the vehicle between the other two, pulled the handbrake and let her head collide with her forearm rested on the steering wheel.

She must have looked absolutely out of shape. No, she must have looked absolutely terrible. Hair unkempt, eyes dry, her blouse buttoned in a rather strange manner… Well, she was late.

Of course she had fallen asleep again after reading Loki's message. Of course she did not even remember turning the alarm off. And of course the thing that had woken her up half an hour later was not another alarm, but an alarming spasm grasping and twisting her abdomen. The period decided to come a few days earlier this time… Well, to sum it up, this morning was a totally fucked up one. Unable to even think about the food, she had somehow managed to reel out of her trailer, type "I'm on my way" to Nick and climb into her car.

"Coffee." She growled in an almost inhuman voice, made her arm move and grabbed her bag. With effort, she got out of the car and hung the bag on her shoulder. Bending slightly forward, she made her way to the restaurant.

Looking at the sidewalk absently and frowning, she searched all her pockets for some money, but except one used handkerchief she could not find anything. So she opened her bag and reached for the wallet, dragging a few documents out along with it. She stopped and watched the stupid papers fall to the ground slowly, gracefully, and listened to the high-pitched sound of the falling coins.

_Perfect. Things just can't get any worse now, right? Just perfect._ A helpless, resigned laugh formed in her throat when she got down on her knees to gather the papers. Then she looked up.

_Crap. Things can always get worse._ She reminded herself as she saw a too familiar group of chatting women in front of the restaurant. The same group she had encountered last week. And it had not been very pleasing. Although she could not understand why. She did not even know them. So, what terrible things could she have possibly done to them to earn their wrath? _Oh, stop it, Jane, this is pointless. Just try to pass by, don't look at them and everything should be just fine._ But things would not work that easy.

"Hey, what's that?" the biting voice sounded. Jane dropped her eyes and sighed.

"Isn't it our little nerdie-cutie?" one of the women, a blonde, laughed as if enthusiastically. "Aww, look, she dropped her precious papers. Perhaps we should get some help?" she asked mockingly and walked down the path towards Jane's kneeling form.

"Well, thanks. No need to bother, though. I'm a big girl, I can handle it." Jane tried the biting tone as well. Nevertheless…

"Ah, look who's talking. Little Miss Doctor is big enough, right?" The blonde stopped and put her arms on her hips.

Watching the pair of high heels stop in front of her, Jane sighed again. "Please, could you just leave it? I really have no time for this rubbish. Not to mention all you can give me is just a serious head-ache."

"Whoa, I see. Girls, did you hear that? We're just a nuisance for the splendid PhD princess here." The blonde cried out, seemingly amused, over her shoulder. Then she turned back, bent down and picked the spilled coins. "Hm. This isn't all you got paid, or is it?" she snorted.

"Give it back." Jane snapped, looking up. "Now."

"Considering all the complex research you must have done…" The blonde continued, not minding Jane's request.

"I'd like to remind you that taking someone's money without permission is considered a robbery." Jane murmured, wincing at the nausea taking over her.

"Yeah? Then run and tell someone. Come on!" said the blonde, her voice stripped of all softness. Jane inhaled deeply and tried to come up with something that would send this cow back on earth when she heard another voice. Calm, steady, comforting.

"Right. Let's take this calmly, shall we?" It was another woman that suddenly turned out of somewhere. And to Jane's relief, she did not seem to belong to the group.

"What?" the blonde scowled at the tall brunette. "What are you talking about?"

"Give the money back and get out. I hope I put it simply enough for your poultry brain to get it. Because I'm not going to repeat it." The brunette smiled innocently. But there was something enormously threatening in her voice.

The blonde let out a disdainful laugh. "And who do you think you are to throw orders at me, bitch?"

Then the brunette's smile widened in a very sly and wicked way. It was seemingly a moment she had been waiting for. Her hand suddenly moved forward with a blink of an eye, her fingers grabbed the blonde hair, making the other woman's head tilt back in a very uncomfortable, maybe even painful angle. The other palm was swiftly and elegantly wrapped around the blonde's wrist, twisting the arm behind the back.

"Open your hand, sweetheart." The brunette ordered, purring into the entrapped woman's ear. The latter winced, but obeyed. "Good." Welcomed the brunette. "You see, I always get what I want." She added and shoved the other woman away.

The blonde turned around immediately, staggering a little. "You're not going away with this." She promised menacingly, pointing with her forefinger.

"Oh, I can assure you I am. Or do you seek a fight?" the dark-haired woman laughed in reply, folded her arms in front of her and looked at the other two women standing a few feet away. They remained silent. The blonde murmured something nasty, but eventually decided to join her friends.

They shared a few quiet words, darting poisonous glances at Jane and her mysterious new ally and then chose to walk away. After a moment, probably as soon as they felt they had reached a safe distance, the blonde turned around and snorted. "Oh, and have a nice time together, sweets." she called out. "And don't forget to invite us to the wedding!"

"Sorry, darling, you're not on the guest list!" Jane cried out, gathering all the papers finally. And no, she would not waste another look at them.

"My, my, do we have a guest list already?" a lock of long, dark hair came into Jane's view. "Can I have a look before we send the invitations?"

Despite feeling terrible, Jane let out a muted chuckle and attempted to stand up. "Um…" However, she failed. A slender hand with fingernails painted with a bright, pastel green nail polish reached out to grab her with a surprising strength.

"Easy, little one." The woman smiled and lowered her head, grasping Jane by her forearm.

Jane closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. Her view became blurred for a few seconds, the whole world spinning around. "I'm sorry." She uttered and blinked a few times more. "Low pressure." She added.

"I see." The woman answered, her voice very soft. "That reminds me of a certain cup of coffee on the roof of your vehicle."

After gathering some composure, Jane turned her head. "Truth. Is it yours?"

"Not anymore, I guess."

Jane let out a hungry sigh and laughed. While walking slowly back to her car, she put the documents in her bag and dared to glance at her new companion.

She was tall and slender and very well built. Her long, black, wavy hair was just perfect. Her face was delicate and bright with high and distinct cheekbones, wise, intellectual eyes, small nose and full lips. Her eyes were a very soft shade of green and matched with the stones in her necklace. She wore a simple white top (_Oh, is that..?_) seemingly with no bra underneath it and jean shorts. There was a small, modest brown leather bag hanging on her shoulder.

When they reached the car, Jane took the cup and her eyeballs literally rolled back into her skull as she smelled it. She took the first, hesitant sip. Her stomach did not seem to protest, so she took another. And another. And then gulped half of the cup.

"I'm sorry I just had to." Jane apologized, looking up. "I guess you can keep the money to buy a new one." She offered an uncertain smile.

"No, thanks. Obviously I don't need the coffee as much as you do. And my little help is for free." The woman smiled back.

"Oh. I'm… Thank you." Jane murmured and lowered her eyes. "So much. I don't know what else to say or…"Jane suddenly giggled and looked around.

"What is it?" the other woman leaned in, intrigued.

"Nothing." Jane smiled. "Just looking for the other two Charlie's Angels to appear." She explained and looked back at her companion.

The latter rubbed her temple and remained silent. Then she sighed almost wearily. "Well, I've been always considered a loner, I'm afraid."

"Sounds familiar." Said Jane, her smile gaining a bitter hint, and closed her dry eyes.

"Please forgive my impudence, but you look terrible." The woman sounded in reply, looking Jane up and down.

"Yeah. I know." Jane breathed out.

"Well," the other woman sighed. "Caffeine is undoubtedly a wondrous substance, but I would suggest some sugar, too." She said and inclined her head in the restaurants direction.

"I'm late." Jane murmured into the cup.

"Hm. Still, 'late' sounds somewhat better to me than 'died in a car crash'. Plus, I've seen a very lonesome Iron Man there."

"Oh no." Jane chuckled.

"Not fond of him?" The brunette raised a half-surprised eyebrow.

"Um... How to put it..." Jane lowered her eyes and smiled. "I'm getting used to have my share of Anthony Stark each day." She said as she looked up into the soft green eyes again.

"So you work for SHIELD, do you?" folding her arms, the dark-haired woman leaned in, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Yeah." Jane blushed slightly, not even knowing why, and shrugged. "I have to do something for living."

"Hm. Sounds like I've saved someone tiny, but really worthy." The brunette added, her tone slightly teasing.

"Well," Jane bit her lip, hesitant. "Apart from being tiny... I'm Jane." She offered eventually, smiling softly. The other woman viewed her for a moment, her expression strangely unreadable. For a second, Jane wondered if she had seen it somewhere before. But in the end, the brunette decided to return the smile. Her arms, however, remained folded. "I am not ceratin if we will ever meet again, but... If you want a name to associate with my face... You can call me Cindy."

A wrinkle creased Jane's forehead. "Please forgive _my_impudence this time, but it doesn't suit you at all."

At that, Cindy let out a resigned laugh and tucked a hair tress behind her ear. "I know." She put a hand on her hip and looked around. "Anyway," she said then, grabbing Jane by the wrist. "Go on and eat something." She stated firmly and put the coins in Jane's hand.

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Jane admitted eventually. "Are you coming with me?" She asked suddenly, looking up.

The brunette smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'd like to, but..."

"No, it's okay. Just a suggestion, nothing else." Jane stopped her. "Anyway, thank you again. For everything."

"You are very welcome, Jane." Cindy answered, offering a warm smile. "How do you feel, by the way?"

"Well there are certainly more pleasant situations to go through, but… No worries, I'll take care." Jane answered merrily.

"Will you?"

"Definitely." Jane winked and realizing she actually started to feel a lot better, she set off to the restaurant. "Farewell, Jane." She heard behind her.

So she turned and flashed her mysterious new friend a wide smile. "Farewell!" she shouted and waved her hand.

* * *

><p>Sitting in his car again, Tony checked one more time on the coordinates he had been given with the mysterious note. Now he knew that they represented the peak of the Mud Mountain in New Mexico. He twirled the corner of his mouth at the name of a town situated under it. <em>Truth or Consequences. Very nice. Is there a hidden meaning in it?<em>

And the time. 19:00. But the runes… Even if translated, they still refused to make any sense. Tony sighed and looked out of the car window.

Then he turned back to the holographic view of the scanned note that was being projected on the windshield of his car. He viewed the signs again. "It must be something like 'Meet me there at…'" Tony mused aloud. And then, his eyes widened. "Jarvis".

"_Yes?"_

"Shift the reading frame."

"_In which manner, sir?"_

"Just move the pronunciation of one letter to another. Upstream."

"_Of course."_

And suddenly, the text in front of him changed into a perfectly reasonable sentence. Tony allowed himself a contented smirk.

"What's my time?" he asked.

_"Two minutes and fifteen seconds, sir."_

"Pfff." Tony huffed looking out the window again. "I must have fallen in love, then." He wondered.

_"Shall I send it to Mr. Fury?"_ Jarvis sounded after a while.

Tony remained silent and pursed his lips. Then he opened his mouth as if to say something.

_"Sir?"_

Leaning his elbow against the door, Tony bit his thumb. "No."

_Tony, Tony, Tony._ He thought. _Time to have some fun, right?_ He chuckled as he gave the translated note one last look.

"_33.1565,-107.3086. __Meet me there at 19:00. And please, wear a suit."_

* * *

><p><strong>Please review! And an awesome graphic has been made for this chapter: <strong>

**http:/allinye . tumblr . com/post/19577068519/the-latter-rubbed-her-temple-and-remained-silent **_(Just remove the spaces. You must see it!)_**  
><strong>


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